// For flags

CVE-2022-4450

Double free after calling PEM_read_bio_ex

Severity Score

7.5
*CVSS v3.1

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

0
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

-
*SSVC
Descriptions

The function PEM_read_bio_ex() reads a PEM file from a BIO and parses and
decodes the "name" (e.g. "CERTIFICATE"), any header data and the payload data.
If the function succeeds then the "name_out", "header" and "data" arguments are
populated with pointers to buffers containing the relevant decoded data. The
caller is responsible for freeing those buffers. It is possible to construct a
PEM file that results in 0 bytes of payload data. In this case PEM_read_bio_ex()
will return a failure code but will populate the header argument with a pointer
to a buffer that has already been freed. If the caller also frees this buffer
then a double free will occur. This will most likely lead to a crash. This
could be exploited by an attacker who has the ability to supply malicious PEM
files for parsing to achieve a denial of service attack.

The functions PEM_read_bio() and PEM_read() are simple wrappers around
PEM_read_bio_ex() and therefore these functions are also directly affected.

These functions are also called indirectly by a number of other OpenSSL
functions including PEM_X509_INFO_read_bio_ex() and
SSL_CTX_use_serverinfo_file() which are also vulnerable. Some OpenSSL internal
uses of these functions are not vulnerable because the caller does not free the
header argument if PEM_read_bio_ex() returns a failure code. These locations
include the PEM_read_bio_TYPE() functions as well as the decoders introduced in
OpenSSL 3.0.

The OpenSSL asn1parse command line application is also impacted by this issue.

A double-free vulnerability was found in OpenSSL's PEM_read_bio_ex function. The function PEM_read_bio_ex() reads a PEM file from a BIO and parses and decodes the "name" (for example, "CERTIFICATE"), any header data, and the payload data. If the function succeeds, then the "name_out," "header," and "data" arguments are populated with pointers to buffers containing the relevant decoded data. The caller is responsible for freeing those buffers. Constructing a PEM file that results in 0 bytes of payload data is possible. In this case, PEM_read_bio_ex() will return a failure code but will populate the header argument with a pointer to a freed buffer. A double-free will occur if the caller also frees this buffer. This will most likely lead to a crash. This could be exploited by an attacker who can supply malicious PEM files for parsing to achieve a denial of service attack.

*Credits: CarpetFuzz, Dawei Wang, Marc Schönefeld, Kurt Roeckx, Matt Caswell
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:-
Exploitation
-
Automatable
-
Tech. Impact
-
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2022-12-13 CVE Reserved
  • 2023-02-07 CVE Published
  • 2024-08-03 CVE Updated
  • 2024-09-29 EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
  • ---------- First Exploit
CWE
  • CWE-415: Double Free
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
Openssl
Search vendor "Openssl"
Openssl
Search vendor "Openssl" for product "Openssl"
>= 1.1.1 < 1.1.1t
Search vendor "Openssl" for product "Openssl" and version " >= 1.1.1 < 1.1.1t"
-
Affected
Openssl
Search vendor "Openssl"
Openssl
Search vendor "Openssl" for product "Openssl"
>= 3.0.0 < 3.0.8
Search vendor "Openssl" for product "Openssl" and version " >= 3.0.0 < 3.0.8"
-
Affected
Stormshield
Search vendor "Stormshield"
Stormshield Network Security
Search vendor "Stormshield" for product "Stormshield Network Security"
>= 4.0.0 < 4.3.16
Search vendor "Stormshield" for product "Stormshield Network Security" and version " >= 4.0.0 < 4.3.16"
-
Affected
Stormshield
Search vendor "Stormshield"
Stormshield Network Security
Search vendor "Stormshield" for product "Stormshield Network Security"
>= 4.4.0 < 4.6.3
Search vendor "Stormshield" for product "Stormshield Network Security" and version " >= 4.4.0 < 4.6.3"
-
Affected