CVE-2022-35467 in OTFCC
Summary
by MITRE • 08/17/2022
OTFCC v0.10.4 was discovered to contain a heap-buffer overflow via /release-x64/otfccdump+0x6e41b8.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-35467 represents a critical heap-buffer overflow flaw within OTFCC version 0.10.4, specifically manifesting at the memory address /release-x64/otfccdump+0x6e41b8. This issue arises from improper input validation and memory management within the font compilation and dumping utilities of the OpenType Font Compiler Collection. The flaw occurs when processing certain font files that contain malformed or maliciously crafted data structures, leading to unauthorized memory access patterns that can corrupt heap memory regions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking during the parsing of OpenType font format structures. When the otffcdump utility processes font files, it fails to properly validate the size and structure of data elements before attempting to copy or manipulate memory regions. This oversight creates a condition where an attacker can craft a specially formatted font file that triggers a buffer overflow when the application attempts to read beyond allocated memory boundaries. The heap-based nature of this vulnerability means that memory corruption occurs within the program's dynamic memory allocation pool, potentially affecting program stability and enabling further exploitation techniques.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-35467 extends beyond simple application crashes, as heap corruption can lead to arbitrary code execution under specific conditions. An attacker leveraging this vulnerability could potentially execute malicious code with the privileges of the user running the otffcdump utility, particularly when the utility processes untrusted font files from web applications, email attachments, or file sharing platforms. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1203, Exploitation for Client Execution, when targeting applications that process font files. The vulnerability affects systems where OTFCC is installed and used for font compilation or analysis tasks, making it particularly concerning for content management systems, web applications, and graphic design environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-35467 should prioritize immediate patching of the OTFCC library to version 0.10.5 or later, which contains the necessary memory validation fixes. System administrators should implement strict input validation for font files processed through OTFCC utilities, particularly when handling files from untrusted sources. Additional protective measures include deploying sandboxing techniques to isolate font processing operations, implementing network segmentation to limit exposure, and establishing monitoring protocols to detect anomalous memory access patterns. Organizations should also consider disabling unnecessary font processing capabilities in applications and implementing automated vulnerability scanning to identify systems running vulnerable versions of the software. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing to ensure that patched versions maintain functionality while eliminating the buffer overflow conditions that enable exploitation.