CVE-2022-38497Public exploit

Process crash via unchecked ELF core path

Published Sep 13, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

NULL pointer dereference in LIEF 0.12.1 and earlier allows local users to crash a parsing process with a crafted ELF core file. CoreFile::parse_ unconditionally moves a parsed path into files_[idx]; an empty path reaches the invalid string assignment at CoreFile.tcc line 69. The target must open or otherwise parse the supplied ELF file, after which the affected process aborts without reported data disclosure or modification.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.30%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in LIEF 0.12.1 and earlier allows local users to crash a parsing process with a crafted ELF core file. CoreFile::parse_ unconditionally moves a parsed path into files_[idx]; an empty path reaches the invalid string assignment at CoreFile.tcc line 69. The target must open or otherwise parse the supplied ELF file, after which the affected process aborts without reported data disclosure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-38497
Published
Sep 13, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 13, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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