Root code execution via malformed AppleDouble metadata
Published Feb 21, 2022 · Updated Apr 23, 2025
Out-of-bounds heap access in Samba before 4.13.17, 4.14.12, or 4.15.5 allows remote attackers to execute code as root via crafted metadata. While opening a file, smbd parses attacker-controlled org.netatalk.Metadata into an adouble structure without validating entry sizes, so memcpy accesses memory beyond heap buffers. Exploitation requires vfs_fruit with default fruit metadata or resource settings and write access to file extended attributes, which can be granted to guest users.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds heap access in Samba before 4.13.17, 4.14.12, or 4.15.5 allows remote attackers to execute code as root via crafted metadata. While opening a file, smbd parses attacker-controlled org.netatalk.Metadata into an adouble structure without validating entry sizes, so memcpy accesses memory beyond heap buffers. Exploitation requires vfs_fruit with default fruit metadata or resource settings and write access to file extended attributes, which can be granted to guest users.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-44142
- Published
- Feb 21, 2022
- Updated
- Apr 23, 2025
- Vendor
- PPP Project
- Product
- Samba
- Classifications
- CWE-787, CWE-125, T1190
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 21, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 23, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <4.13.17
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <4.14.12
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <4.15.5
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Pwn2Own Austin Samba exploit demonstrationproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
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