CVE-2023-46569 - Out-of-Bounds Read Vulnerability in radare2 v5.8.9: Exploit Details and Remediation Steps

A recent CVE, CVE-2023-46569, targets an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in radare2, a portable reverse engineering framework. Specifically, the vulnerability targets version 5.8.9 and earlier in the print_insn32_fpu function of libr/arch/p/nds32/nds32-dis.h. This post will provide details on the exploit itself, the background on the affected software, how to check for the vulnerability in your system, and recommendations for addressing the issue.

Background: What is radare2?
Radare2 is an open-source reverse engineering framework and command-line tool. Its flexibility is ideal for those looking to analyze binaries or execute other related tasks in a highly portable and customizable manner. The framework has a wide range of use cases including forensics, debugging, malware analysis, and binary patching.

Exploit Details

The security issue resides in the print_insn32_fpu function of the file: libr/arch/p/nds32/nds32-dis.h. Due to an out-of-bounds read, an attacker can manipulate memory operations in the print_insn32_fpu function, thereby leading to potential denial-of-service (DoS) attacks or exposure of sensitive information. The vulnerability is assigned a CVE-ID of CVE-2023-46569.

Code Snippet Excerpt

The following code snippet showcases the affected part in the print_insn32_fpu function from nds32-dis.h:

int print_insn32_fpu (...) {
  ...
  const char *s = spec_strings; 
  while (spec_index < count) {
    s += strlen(s) + 1;
    spec_index++;
  }
  ...
}

In the code above, spec_index is accessed while (spec_index < count). However, there's no validation for the bounds of spec_strings, resulting in an out-of-bounds read. This allows an attacker to manipulate the read memory, potentially leading to denial-of-service attacks or leaking sensitive data.

For more details about the vulnerability, original references can be found as follows

- Official CVE Record: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-46569
- radare2 Repository: https://github.com/radareorg/radare2/

How to Check and Remediate

To check whether your system is affected by this vulnerability, you need to confirm the version of radare2 installed on your system. You can do this by executing the following command:

$ radare2 -v

If the version of radare2 is 5.8.9 or prior, your system is vulnerable to this out-of-bounds read vulnerability. As a remediation, you should update the radare2 package to the latest version, following the suitable options described here: https://github.com/radareorg/radare2/#installing-radare2.

Conclusion

CVE-2023-46569 revolves around an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in radare2 v5.8.9 and its predecessors. It presents potential risks in the form of denial-of-service attacks and information leaks. To protect your system against the exploitation of this vulnerability, ensure that you have updated radare2 to the most recent version. Also, keep an eye on the upstream project for any security updates.

Timeline

Published on: 10/28/2023 02:15:07 UTC
Last modified on: 10/31/2023 15:24:49 UTC