CVE-2023-31722
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2023-31722 is a heap buffer overflow vulnerability in NASM (Netwide Assembler) version 2.16.02rc1 that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service. This affects systems running vulnerable NASM versions when processing malicious assembly files. Developers and systems using NASM for assembly compilation are primarily at risk.
💻 Affected Systems
- NASM (Netwide Assembler)
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution with the privileges of the NASM process, potentially leading to full system compromise.
Likely Case
Denial of service through application crashes when processing specially crafted assembly files.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper input validation and sandboxing of NASM processes.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires the attacker to supply a malicious assembly file to NASM.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Fixed in NASM 2.16.02 and later versions
Vendor Advisory: https://bugzilla.nasm.us/show_bug.cgi?id=3392857
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Download latest NASM from https://www.nasm.us/ 2. Compile and install according to platform instructions 3. Replace existing NASM binary
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Avoid processing untrusted assembly files
allRestrict NASM usage to trusted assembly sources only
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Sandbox NASM execution with minimal privileges
- Implement strict input validation for assembly files before processing
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check NASM version with 'nasm -v' and verify if it's 2.16.02rc1 (commit b952891)Check Version:
nasm -vVerify Fix Applied:
Verify NASM version is 2.16.02 or later with 'nasm -v'📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- NASM process crashes
- Memory access violation errors in system logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual file transfers to systems running NASM
SIEM Query:
Process:name='nasm' AND EventID=1000 (Application Crash)