CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2023-52482NVD status: Analyzed

Linux: Out-of-bounds Write

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2023-52482 is a high-severity out-of-bounds write vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions e7ea043bc3f19473561c08565047b3f1671bf35d, f090a8b4d2e3ec6f318d6fdab243a2edc5a8cc37, 6ce2f297a7168274547d0b5aea6c7c16268b8a96 as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.27% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to e7ea043bc3f19473561c08565047b3f1671bf35d or f090a8b4d2e3ec6f318d6fdab243a2edc5a8cc37 or 6ce2f297a7168274547d0b5aea6c7c16268b8a96 or cf43b304b6952b549d58feabc342807b334f03d4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 5.10.215 or 5.15.134 or 6.1.56 or 6.5.6, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinuxc9661c1e80b609cd038db7c908e061f0535804ef up to, but not including, e7ea043bc3f19473561c08565047b3f1671bf35d; c9661c1e80b609cd038db7c908e061f0535804ef up to, but not including, f090a8b4d2e3ec6f318d6fdab243a2edc5a8cc37; c9661c1e80b609cd038db7c908e061f0535804ef up to, but not including, 6ce2f297a7168274547d0b5aea6c7c16268b8a96; c9661c1e80b609cd038db7c908e061f0535804ef up to, but not including, cf43b304b6952b549d58feabc342807b334f03d4; c9661c1e80b609cd038db7c908e061f0535804ef up to, but not including, a5ef7d68cea1344cf524f04981c2b3f80bedbb0d; 4.20e7ea043bc3f19473561c08565047b3f1671bf35d, f090a8b4d2e3ec6f318d6fdab243a2edc5a8cc37, 6ce2f297a7168274547d0b5aea6c7c16268b8a96, cf43b304b6952b549d58feabc342807b334f03d4, a5ef7d68cea1344cf524f04981c2b3f80bedbb0d
LinuxLinux Kernel5.10.189 up to, but not including, 5.10.215; 5.15.125 up to, but not including, 5.15.134; 6.1.44 up to, but not including, 6.1.56; 6.4.9 up to, but not including, 6.5.6; 6.65.10.215, 5.15.134, 6.1.56, 6.5.6
DebianDebian Linux10.0Not stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/srso: Add SRSO mitigation for Hygon processors Add mitigation for the speculative return stack overflow vulnerability which exists on Hygon processors too.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Write

The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, many languages that perform their own memory management, such as Java and Perl, are not subject to buffer overflows. Other languages, such as Ada and C#, typically provide overflow protection, but the protection can be disabled by the programmer. Be wary that a language's interface to native code may still be subject to overflows, even if the language itself is theoretically safe.
  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Examples include the Safe C String Library (SafeStr) by Messier and Viega, and the Strsafe.h library from Microsoft. These libraries provide safer versions of overflow-prone string-handling functions.
  • Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.

More Out-of-bounds Write vulnerabilities (CWE-787)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Third-party and government advisories

Recent Out-of-bounds Write vulnerabilities

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