CVE-2024-45492
Description
A flaw was found in libexpat's internal nextScaffoldPart function in xmlparse.c. It can have an integer overflow for m_groupSize on 32-bit platforms where UINT_MAX equals SIZE_MAX.
Statement
CVE-2024-45492 is categorized as a Moderate severity issue rather than Important due to the specific conditions required for exploitation and the limited scope of impact. While an integer overflow in the nextScaffoldPart function on 32-bit platforms can potentially lead to denial of service (DoS) or, in rare cases, arbitrary code execution, the vulnerability is platform-specific, affecting only 32-bit architectures with particular handling of UINT_MAX and SIZE_MAX. Additionally, exploiting the overflow for arbitrary code execution would require precise manipulation of memory, making it a less likely attack vector. The primary risk of DoS, without guaranteed escalation to remote code execution, further justifies the moderate severity classification.
Mitigation
Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 6.2 | 9.8 | 7.3 |
| Attack Vector | Local | Network | Network |
| Attack Complexity | Low | Low | Low |
| Privileges Required | None | None | None |
| User Interaction | None | None | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | Unchanged | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | None | High | Low |
| Integrity Impact | None | High | Low |
| Availability Impact | High | High | Low |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
NVD: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
Red Hat CVSS v3 Score Explanation
CVE-2024-45492 is categorized as a moderate severity issue rather than an important one due to the specific conditions required for exploitation and the limited scope of impact. While an integer overflow in the nextScaffoldPart function on 32-bit platforms can potentially lead to denial of service (DoS) or, in rare cases, arbitrary code execution, the vulnerability is platform-specific, affecting only 32-bit architectures with particular handling of UINT_MAX and SIZE_MAX. Additionally, exploiting the overflow for arbitrary code execution would require precise manipulation of memory, making it a less likely attack vector. The primary risk of DoS, without guaranteed escalation to remote code execution, further justifies the moderate severity classification.
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory); DoS: Instability
This weakness can generally lead to undefined behavior and therefore crashes. When the calculated result is used for resource allocation, this weakness can cause too many (or too few) resources to be allocated, possibly enabling crashes if the product requests more resources than can be provided.
Integrity
Technical Impact: Modify Memory
If the value in question is important to data (as opposed to flow), simple data corruption has occurred. Also, if the overflow/wraparound results in other conditions such as buffer overflows, further memory corruption may occur.
Confidentiality,Availability,Access Control
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Bypass Protection Mechanism
This weakness can sometimes trigger buffer overflows, which can be used to execute arbitrary code. This is usually outside the scope of the product's implicit security policy.
Availability,Other
Technical Impact: Alter Execution Logic; DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU)
If the overflow/wraparound occurs in a loop index variable, this could cause the loop to terminate at the wrong time - too early, too late, or not at all (i.e., infinite loops). With too many iterations, some loops could consume too many resources such as memory, file handles, etc., possibly leading to a crash or other DoS.
Access Control
Technical Impact: Bypass Protection Mechanism
If integer values are used in security-critical decisions, such as calculating quotas or allocation limits, integer overflows can be used to cause an incorrect security decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not sure what something means? Check out our Security Glossary.
Want to get errata notifications? Sign up here.
