CVE-2023-24607 in Qt
Summary
by MITRE • 04/15/2023
Qt before 6.4.3 allows a denial of service via a crafted string when the SQL ODBC driver plugin is used and the size of SQLTCHAR is 4. The affected versions are 5.x before 5.15.13, 6.x before 6.2.8, and 6.3.x before 6.4.3.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-24607 represents a denial of service weakness within the Qt framework that specifically impacts applications utilizing the SQL ODBC driver plugin. This flaw manifests when processing crafted strings under conditions where the SQLTCHAR data type is configured with a size of four bytes. The affected Qt versions span across multiple release lines including 5.x versions prior to 5.15.13, 6.x versions before 6.2.8, and 6.3.x versions before 6.4.3, indicating a widespread impact across the Qt ecosystem.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in inadequate input validation and memory handling within the Qt SQL ODBC driver implementation. When a maliciously crafted string is processed through the SQL ODBC plugin with SQLTCHAR set to four bytes, the system fails to properly handle the input, leading to a resource exhaustion condition that ultimately results in denial of service. This behavior stems from insufficient bounds checking and memory management routines within the affected code paths, creating a condition where malformed input can trigger unexpected program termination or resource depletion.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption to potentially compromise the stability and availability of applications built on Qt frameworks. Systems utilizing Qt applications that incorporate ODBC database connectivity may experience complete service unavailability when encountering malicious input, particularly in environments where database operations are frequent or critical to business operations. The vulnerability affects both Qt 5 and Qt 6 release lines, suggesting that organizations maintaining legacy systems or those in the process of migration may face similar risks across their software portfolio.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to Qt versions that have addressed this vulnerability, specifically Qt 5.15.13, 6.2.8, or 6.4.3 respectively. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive testing of all Qt-based applications that utilize ODBC database connectivity to ensure proper handling of input data. Additionally, implementing input validation measures at application layers can provide additional defense in depth against potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also monitor their environments for any signs of exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability, as the denial of service nature makes it relatively easy to deploy and potentially disruptive to system availability.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input buffers, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with attack patterns described in the ATT&CK framework under the technique of privilege escalation through resource exhaustion. The weakness specifically targets the Qt framework's database connectivity layer, making it particularly relevant for organizations maintaining database-intensive applications or those relying on ODBC connectivity for data operations. The vulnerability's classification as a denial of service issue places it within the broader category of availability-focused attacks that can severely impact business continuity and operational effectiveness.