glibc: Reachable Assertion
CVE-2024-33601 is a high-severity reachable assertion vulnerability in glibc from The GNU C Library, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.3 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists version 2.40 as the first without the flaw, so updating glibc to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.07% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 66% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update glibc to 2.40 or a later version.
- Update glibc to 2.40 or a later version.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| The GNU C Library | glibc | 2.15 up to, but not including, 2.40 | 2.40 |
| GNU | glibc | 2.15 up to, but not including, 2.40 | 2.40 |
| Siemens | SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP | V3.1.5 and later | Not stated |
| Siemens | SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP | V3.1.5 and later | Not stated |
| Siemens | SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP | V3.1.5 and later | Not stated |
| Debian | Debian Linux | 10.0 | Not stated |
| NetApp | H300s Firmware | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| NetApp | H500s Firmware | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| NetApp | H700s Firmware | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| NetApp | H410s Firmware | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| NetApp | H410c Firmware | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| NetApp | H610c Firmware | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| NetApp | H615c Firmware | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| NetApp | H610s Firmware | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
| NetApp | Hci Bootstrap OS | Not specified in the record | Not 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
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- LowSome restricted data can be read.
- Integrity
- LowLimited modification of data is possible.
- Availability
- LowPerformance or availability is reduced.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
nscd: netgroup cache may terminate daemon on memory allocation failure The Name Service Cache Daemon's (nscd) netgroup cache uses xmalloc or xrealloc and these functions may terminate the process due to a memory allocation failure resulting in a denial of service to the clients. The flaw was introduced in glibc 2.15 when the cache was added to nscd. This vulnerability is only present in the nscd binary.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Reachable Assertion
The product contains an assert() or similar statement that can be triggered by an attacker, which leads to an application exit or other behavior that is more severe than necessary.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- If the assertion statement is required (e.g., for security or reliability), change the invoking code to avoid the conditions that trigger the assertion.
- Consider changing the assertion to some other less fatal error. This might not be easy to implement, since other code may be needed to handle the error.
- Make sensitive open/close operations non-reachable from directly user-controlled data (e.g. open/close resources)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Third-party and government advisories
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/07/22/5Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/06/msg00026.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240524-0014/Third Party Advisory
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in glibc
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.7 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Reachable Assertion vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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