CVE-2022-1649 in radare2
Summary
by MITRE • 05/10/2022
Null pointer dereference in libr/bin/format/mach0/mach0.c in radareorg/radare2 in GitHub repository radareorg/radare2 prior to 5.7.0. It is likely to be exploitable. For more general description of heap buffer overflow, see [CWE](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/476.html).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1649 represents a critical null pointer dereference flaw within the radare2 reverse engineering framework's Mach-O binary parsing component. This issue exists in the libr/bin/format/mach0/mach0.c file and affects versions prior to 5.7.0 of the radare2 toolchain. The vulnerability arises during the processing of Mach-O formatted binary files, which are commonly used on macOS and iOS operating systems, making this flaw particularly concerning for security researchers and analysts who work extensively with these platforms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the Mach-O parser encounters malformed or specially crafted binary structures that trigger a null pointer dereference condition. This type of error typically occurs when the software attempts to access memory through a pointer that has not been properly initialized or has been set to NULL. The flaw is classified as a CWE-476 null pointer dereference, which represents a fundamental programming error where software assumes a pointer will contain a valid memory address but fails to validate this assumption before dereferencing. The vulnerability's potential for exploitation stems from the fact that attackers can craft malicious Mach-O files that will cause the radare2 tool to crash or potentially execute arbitrary code when processing these malformed inputs.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to security professionals and researchers who rely on radare2 for malware analysis, binary reverse engineering, and software security assessment. The impact extends beyond simple tool crashes, as the null pointer dereference can be leveraged by attackers to achieve remote code execution or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the binary analysis capabilities within radare2, potentially compromising the integrity of security research workflows and analysis environments. Security teams using radare2 for threat hunting, vulnerability assessment, or malware analysis may find their tools becoming unreliable or even exploitable when processing untrusted binary content, particularly in automated analysis systems or when handling files from unknown sources.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several tactics outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to initial access and execution phases where adversaries might attempt to compromise analysis tools to gain unauthorized access to systems or data. The vulnerability's classification as potentially exploitable suggests that attackers could leverage this flaw to execute malicious code on systems running vulnerable versions of radare2. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, especially those that rely heavily on reverse engineering tools for security analysis. The remediation strategy involves upgrading to radare2 version 5.7.0 or later, which includes patches addressing the null pointer dereference condition. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and sandboxing mechanisms when processing binary files can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against potential exploitation attempts. Security practitioners should also consider monitoring for unusual tool behavior or crashes during binary analysis operations as potential indicators of exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.