CVE-2022-1052 in radare2
Summary
by MITRE • 03/24/2022
Heap Buffer Overflow in iterate_chained_fixups in GitHub repository radareorg/radare2 prior to 5.6.6.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2022
The heap buffer overflow vulnerability CVE-2022-1052 affects the radare2 reverse engineering framework version prior to 5.6.6 and specifically resides in the iterate_chained_fixups function within the binary analysis module. This flaw manifests when processing malformed binary files or specific memory structures during the fixup iteration process, creating a condition where an application can write beyond the allocated heap memory boundaries. The vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking during memory operations, allowing attackers to potentially overwrite adjacent heap memory regions with controlled data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of chained fixup structures within executable binaries, particularly affecting PE (Portable Executable) file formats. When radare2 processes these structures, the iterate_chained_fixups function fails to validate the size and boundaries of fixup entries before performing memory operations. This oversight creates a classic heap-based buffer overflow condition that can be exploited through carefully crafted malicious binary files. The vulnerability falls under CWE-121 Heap-based Buffer Overflow, which is categorized as a critical memory safety issue affecting heap memory management. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python, as exploitation may involve crafting specific binary inputs that trigger the vulnerable code path during automated analysis.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-1052 extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it can lead to arbitrary code execution when exploited successfully. An attacker who can control the input to radare2 during binary analysis operations could potentially execute malicious code with the privileges of the user running the tool. This presents significant risk in security research environments where analysts frequently analyze suspicious files, as it could enable attackers to compromise analyst systems or bypass security controls. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of radare2's binary analysis capabilities, potentially causing application crashes or allowing privilege escalation in scenarios where the tool is used in automated security workflows.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-1052 primarily focus on upgrading to radare2 version 5.6.6 or later, which includes patched bounds checking mechanisms in the iterate_chained_fixups function. System administrators and security researchers should also implement additional defensive measures such as input validation for binary files, sandboxing analysis environments, and network segmentation to limit potential exploitation scope. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper memory management in security tools, particularly those handling untrusted binary inputs, and aligns with security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-145 for secure software development. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime protections such as heap hardening and address space layout randomization to reduce exploitability, while maintaining regular updates to security tools to address emerging threats in reverse engineering frameworks.