CVE-2024-45402: picotls Double Free — Fix

Description

Picotls is a TLS protocol library that allows users select different crypto backends based on their use case. When parsing a spoofed TLS handshake message, picotls (specifically, bindings within picotls that call the crypto libraries) may attempt to free the same memory twice. This double free occurs during the disposal of multiple objects without any intervening calls to malloc Typically, this triggers the malloc implementation to detect the error and abort the process. However, depending on the internals of malloc and the crypto backend being used, the flaw could potentially lead to a use-after-free scenario, which might allow for arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is addressed with commit 9b88159ce763d680e4a13b6e8f3171ae923a535d.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

8.6

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-415 CWE-415

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
dena	picotls	2024-08-12 — 2024-10-10

References

Advisories & Patches

https://github.com/h2o/picotls/commit/9b88159ce763d680e4a13b6e8f3171ae923a535d https://github.com/h2o/picotls/security/advisories/GHSA-w7c8-wjx9-vvvv

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-45402? +

Picotls is a TLS protocol library that allows users select different crypto backends based on their use case. When parsing a spoofed TLS handshake message, picotls (specifically, bindings within picotls that call the crypto libraries) may attempt to free the same memory twice. This double free occurs during the disposal of multiple objects without any intervening calls to malloc Typically, this triggers the malloc implementation to detect the error and abort the process. However, depending on the internals of malloc and the crypto backend being used, the flaw could potentially lead to a use-after-free scenario, which might allow for arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is addressed with commit 9b88159ce763d680e4a13b6e8f3171ae923a535d. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.6 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2024-45402? +

CVE-2024-45402 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.6 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching.

What products are affected by CVE-2024-45402? +

CVE-2024-45402 affects products from dena, specifically: picotls. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2024-45402? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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