CVE-2022-1244 in radare2
Summary
by MITRE • 04/05/2022
heap-buffer-overflow in GitHub repository radareorg/radare2 prior to 5.6.8. This vulnerability is capable of inducing denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2022
The heap-buffer-overflow vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1244 affects the radare2 reverse engineering framework prior to version 5.6.8. This vulnerability resides within the heap memory management system of the software, specifically manifesting as an out-of-bounds read or write operation that can occur during heap allocation and deallocation processes. The flaw represents a critical security weakness that enables attackers to manipulate heap memory structures through malformed input data processing, potentially leading to system instability and denial of service conditions. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-122 as a heap-based buffer overflow, which occurs when a program writes data beyond the boundaries of heap-allocated memory blocks.
The technical exploitation of this heap-buffer-overflow vulnerability typically involves feeding specially crafted input data to the radare2 tool that triggers memory corruption during processing of binary files or analysis operations. When the software attempts to allocate or manipulate heap memory blocks, the overflow can overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting heap metadata or other critical program structures. This memory corruption can lead to unpredictable program behavior, crashes, or in some cases, allow for more sophisticated exploitation techniques that might enable arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in automated analysis environments where radare2 processes untrusted binary data without proper input validation.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-1244 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially compromise the integrity of reverse engineering workflows and security analysis operations. Organizations relying on radare2 for malware analysis, binary research, or security auditing may experience system interruptions when processing maliciously crafted files, leading to operational downtime and reduced analytical capabilities. The vulnerability affects the core memory management functions of the software, making it particularly dangerous in security tooling environments where reliability and stability are paramount. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to disrupt security operations or potentially gain unauthorized access to systems through memory corruption exploits.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-1244 primarily focus on updating to radare2 version 5.6.8 or later, which includes patches addressing the heap memory management issues. System administrators should implement immediate updates to eliminate the vulnerability exposure across all instances of the software. Additional protective measures include implementing input validation controls, deploying sandboxing mechanisms for processing untrusted binary data, and establishing monitoring systems to detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running radare2 to potentially malicious inputs. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security tooling and implementing proper memory safety practices in software development. Organizations should also consider adopting static and dynamic analysis tools to identify similar memory corruption vulnerabilities in their own software development processes, aligning with best practices from the software security community and industry standards such as those recommended by the Open Web Application Security Project.