CVE-2022-35048 in OTFCC
Summary
by MITRE • 10/14/2022
OTFCC commit 617837b was discovered to contain a heap buffer overflow via /release-x64/otfccdump+0x6b0b2c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2026
The heap buffer overflow vulnerability identified in CVE-2022-35048 affects the OTFCC (OpenType Font Collection Compiler) tool at commit 617837b, specifically within the /release-x64/otfccdump binary at offset 0x6b0b2c. This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that arises from improper memory management during font processing operations, particularly when handling malformed or maliciously crafted OpenType font files. The issue manifests as a heap-based buffer overflow, which occurs when the application attempts to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries of a heap-allocated buffer. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they can lead to arbitrary code execution, system crashes, or data corruption when exploited by malicious actors.
The technical nature of this flaw aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, which occurs when a program writes beyond the boundaries of heap-allocated memory regions. The vulnerability is triggered during the font processing pipeline of OTFCC, where input validation appears to be insufficient for handling specially crafted font data structures. The specific offset 0x6b0b2c in the otfccdump utility indicates that the overflow occurs within a memory allocation or manipulation function, likely during font table parsing or data structure handling. This type of vulnerability is classified as a memory safety issue and represents a common attack vector in software that processes untrusted input data, particularly in font rendering and compilation tools that must handle complex binary formats.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to systems that utilize OTFCC for font processing, compilation, or validation tasks. Attackers could exploit this flaw by providing maliciously crafted font files that trigger the buffer overflow condition, potentially leading to remote code execution or denial of service scenarios. The impact extends beyond simple application crashes, as heap overflows can be leveraged to manipulate program execution flow, corrupt memory structures, or even bypass security mitigations like ASLR and DEP. This vulnerability affects systems where OTFCC is used for font validation, conversion, or processing, particularly in environments that automatically process font files from untrusted sources such as web applications, document processing systems, or font management services.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-35048 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected OTFCC version to address the heap buffer overflow condition. Organizations should implement input validation controls and sanitize all font files processed by OTFCC to prevent exploitation attempts. Additionally, deployment of security mitigations such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and heap-based protection mechanisms should be considered as defensive measures. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management in font processing tools and highlights the need for regular security assessments of font handling components within operating systems and applications. This issue also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, Exploitation for Client Execution, as it represents a method for executing malicious code through vulnerable font processing applications. System administrators should monitor for exploitation attempts and consider network segmentation to limit potential attack vectors. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date font processing libraries and implementing robust input validation to prevent similar heap-based buffer overflow conditions in other font handling components.