VMM hang via unchecked ELF offsets
Published Dec 13, 2022 · Updated Apr 18, 2025
Denial of service in rust-vmm linux-loader before 0.8.1 allows attackers to hang a VMM by supplying a kernel image with a malformed ELF header. The x86_64 ELF loader discarded short-read results while reading ELF, program, and note headers, so an offset beyond EOF can leave note parsing without forward progress. Exploitation requires control over a kernel image loaded by a consuming VMM; the consequence is an infinite loop rather than data disclosure or modification.
Summary
What happened
Denial of service in rust-vmm linux-loader before 0.8.1 allows attackers to hang a VMM by supplying a kernel image with a malformed ELF header. The x86_64 ELF loader discarded short-read results while reading ELF, program, and note headers, so an offset beyond EOF can leave note parsing without forward progress. Exploitation requires control over a kernel image loaded by a consuming VMM; the consequence is an infinite loop rather than data disclosure or modification.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-23523
- Published
- Dec 13, 2022
- Updated
- Apr 18, 2025
- Vendor
- rust-vmm
- Product
- linux-loader
- Classifications
- CWE-125, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 13, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 18, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=< 0.8.1
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
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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