CVE-2022-35461 in OTFCC
Summary
by MITRE • 08/17/2022
OTFCC v0.10.4 was discovered to contain a heap-buffer overflow via /release-x64/otfccdump+0x6c0a32.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/17/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-35461 affects OTFCC version 0.10.4 and represents a critical heap-buffer overflow condition that can be exploited through the ot FCCdump utility. This flaw occurs within the /release-x64/otfccdump+0x6c0a32 memory address location, indicating a specific code path within the binary that handles font file processing. The vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking when processing font data structures, particularly within the OpenType Font Compiler Compiler implementation that is responsible for parsing and validating font files. The heap-buffer overflow arises when the application attempts to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries of heap-allocated buffers, potentially allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory regions with malicious content.
This heap-buffer overflow vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which specifically addresses heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption as it can lead to arbitrary code execution when an attacker can control the data being written to the overflowed buffer. The attack surface is primarily through font file processing, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users might encounter untrusted font files or when the application processes font data from web content, email attachments, or other unverified sources. The vulnerability affects systems running the affected version of OTFCC where font compilation or conversion operations are performed, potentially compromising systems that process font files as part of document rendering or application deployment workflows.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a malicious font file that triggers the specific code path leading to the heap overflow. When the ot FCCdump utility processes such a crafted file, the buffer overflow can result in program termination, memory corruption, or potentially full system compromise if the attacker can achieve code execution. Mitigation strategies include immediate upgrade to a patched version of OTFCC where available, implementing strict input validation for font files, and deploying runtime protections such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries. Additionally, organizations should consider restricting the execution of font processing utilities to trusted environments and implementing sandboxing measures for font file handling operations. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper memory management and bounds checking in font processing libraries, which are commonly used across multiple applications and operating systems, making this a widespread concern for font rendering and compilation systems.