CVE-2024-2452
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in Eclipse ThreadX NetX Duo allows an attacker to cause an integer wrap-around in the __portable_aligned_alloc() function, leading to smaller-than-expected memory allocations and subsequent heap buffer overflows. It affects systems using NetX Duo networking stack versions before 6.4.0. Attackers with control over allocation parameters could exploit this to potentially execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service.
💻 Affected Systems
- Eclipse ThreadX NetX Duo
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete system compromise, data theft, or persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Denial of service through application crashes or memory corruption, potentially leading to system instability.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper memory protections (ASLR, DEP) and network segmentation, though crashes may still occur.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires understanding of application-specific memory allocation patterns and control over allocation parameters. No public exploit code identified in references.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 6.4.0
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/eclipse-threadx/netxduo/security/advisories/GHSA-h963-7vhw-8rpx
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update NetX Duo to version 6.4.0 or later. 2. Recompile all applications using NetX Duo with the updated library. 3. Redeploy updated applications to affected systems. 4. Restart systems or services using NetX Duo.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input Validation
allImplement strict validation of parameters passed to memory allocation functions in application code.
Memory Protection
allEnable hardware/software memory protection features (ASLR, DEP, stack canaries) if supported by the platform.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate affected systems using network segmentation to limit attack surface.
- Implement strict input validation and sanitization for all network inputs that could affect memory allocation parameters.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check NetX Duo version in source code or compiled binaries; versions <6.4.0 are vulnerable. Review code usage of __portable_aligned_alloc() for parameter control.Check Version:
Check NetX Duo source headers (nx_api.h) for version macros or use build system version checks.Verify Fix Applied:
Confirm NetX Duo version is 6.4.0 or later. Test applications with fuzzing or boundary tests on allocation parameters.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes with memory corruption errors
- Unexpected heap allocation failures or patterns
- Abnormal network packet processing logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual network traffic patterns to services using NetX Duo
- Repeated connection attempts with malformed data
SIEM Query:
Search for process crashes with memory-related error codes (e.g., segmentation faults, access violations) in systems running NetX Duo applications.🔗 References
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2024/May/35
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/05/28/1
- https://github.com/eclipse-threadx/netxduo/security/advisories/GHSA-h963-7vhw-8rpx
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2024/May/35
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/05/28/1
- https://github.com/eclipse-threadx/netxduo/security/advisories/GHSA-h963-7vhw-8rpx
