CVE-2023-38545
Description
This flaw makes curl overflow a heap based buffer in the SOCKS5 proxy handshake. When curl is asked to pass along the host name to the SOCKS5 proxy to allow that to resolve the address instead of it getting done by curl itself, the maximum length that host name can be is 255 bytes. If the host name is detected to be longer, curl switches to local name resolving and instead passes on the resolved address only. Due to this bug, the local variable that means "let the host resolve the name" could get the wrong value during a slow SOCKS5 handshake, and contrary to the intention, copy the too long host name to the target buffer instead of copying just the resolved address there. The target buffer being a heap based buffer, and the host name coming from the URL that curl has been told to operate with.
Predictions
Heuristic predictions, AS-IS, for prioritization only.
Mitigations
No mitigations published for this CVE yet.
The vendor-content worker queues fetches as references arrive (check back in a few minutes). Or — if you've already worked around this in production — publish your fix to the community-verified tier.
✚ Propose a mitigation on Community → Mitigations published via the community go through AI scoring + 2 human reviewers + 7-day silent objection window before landing here withsource_tier=community-verified.
OS impact
Fedora Affected 1 release
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| 37 | Affected | — |
SUSE Affected 1 release
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| — | Affected | — |
Windows Affected 1 release
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| — | Affected | 10.0.17763.5122 |
AlmaLinux Fixed 1 release
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Fixed | libcurl-devel-7.76.1-26.el9_3.2.aarch64.rpm |
Arch Fixed 1 release
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| — | Fixed | 8.4.0-1 |
Debian Fixed 5 releases
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| trixie | Fixed | 8.3.0-3 |
| sid | Fixed | 8.3.0-3 |
| forky | Fixed | 8.3.0-3 |
| bullseye | Fixed | 7.74.0-1.3+deb11u10 |
| bookworm | Fixed | 7.88.1-10+deb12u4 |
Red Hat Fixed 1 release
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Fixed | — |
Rocky Linux Fixed 1 release
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Fixed | — |
Application impact
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| haxx | libcurl | {"startIncluding":"7.69.0","endExcluding":"8.4.0"} | 8.4.0 |
| netapp | active_iq_unified_manager | - | |
| netapp | oncommand_insight | - | |
| netapp | oncommand_workflow_automation | - | |
References
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:5763
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6745
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2024/Jan/34
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2024/Jan/37
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2024/Jan/38
- https://curl.se/docs/CVE-2023-38545.html
- https://forum.vmssoftware.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=8868
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/OGMXNRNSJ4ETDK6FRNU3J7SABXPWCHSQ/
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20231027-0009/
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240201-0005/
- https://support.apple.com/kb/HT214036
- https://support.apple.com/kb/HT214057
- https://support.apple.com/kb/HT214058
- https://support.apple.com/kb/HT214063
- https://www.secpod.com/blog/high-severity-heap-buffer-overflow-vulnerability/
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-082556.html
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-093430.html
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-507364.html
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-832273.html
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-943925.html
- https://github.com/UTsweetyfish/CVE-2023-38545
- https://github.com/bcdannyboy/CVE-2023-38545
- https://github.com/dbrugman/CVE-2023-38545-POC
- https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2023-38545
- https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-38545.html
CWEs
CWE-787
Community-verified mitigations for this CVE will appear above when contributors publish them.
Verify integrity in audit chain (admin only). AS-IS.