CVE-2023-46331 in wabt
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
WebAssembly wabt 1.0.33 has an Out-of-Bound Memory Read in in DataSegment::IsValidRange(), which lead to segmentation fault.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-46331 affects the WebAssembly Binary Toolkit (wabt) version 1.0.33, specifically within the DataSegment::IsValidRange() function. This issue represents a critical memory safety flaw that can result in segmentation faults during WebAssembly binary processing operations. The vulnerability manifests when the toolkit attempts to validate memory ranges within data segments of WebAssembly modules, where improper bounds checking leads to out-of-bounds memory reads that crash the application. Such vulnerabilities are particularly concerning in security-sensitive environments where WebAssembly processing is integral to software systems.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in inadequate input validation within the DataSegment::IsValidRange() method, which fails to properly verify memory access boundaries when processing WebAssembly binary data. This flaw can be categorized under CWE-129 as "Improper Validation of Array Index" and represents a classic buffer over-read condition that occurs when the application attempts to access memory beyond the allocated bounds. The vulnerability specifically impacts the wabt toolkit's ability to safely parse and validate WebAssembly modules, creating a potential denial of service condition that can be exploited by malicious actors.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risks to systems that rely on wabt for WebAssembly module validation, compilation, or analysis. Attackers could potentially craft malicious WebAssembly binaries designed to trigger this out-of-bounds read condition, leading to application crashes or system instability. The segmentation fault resulting from this vulnerability can disrupt legitimate processing workflows and may provide opportunities for more sophisticated attacks if the system does not properly handle such exceptions. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in automated processing environments where continuous WebAssembly module validation is performed.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-46331 should prioritize immediate patching of affected wabt installations to version 1.0.34 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the memory validation issue. Organizations should also implement runtime monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish robust input validation procedures for all WebAssembly processing activities. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms for WebAssembly module processing and ensure that all WebAssembly tools are regularly updated as part of standard security maintenance procedures. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of rigorous memory safety practices in systems handling binary data formats and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities.