Local denial of service via ps integer overflow
Published Aug 2, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025
Heap-based buffer overflow in procps-ng ps 4.0.3 and earlier allows local users to crash ps via an oversized -C argument. The parse_list function multiplies the argument length by the selection-element size without checking for integer overflow, allocates an undersized heap buffer, and then copies data beyond that allocation with strncpy. A low-privileged local account must be able to execute ps with an extremely large argument; the documented consequence is interruption of that ps process, not kernel compromise.
Summary
What happened
Heap-based buffer overflow in procps-ng ps 4.0.3 and earlier allows local users to crash ps via an oversized -C argument. The parse_list function multiplies the argument length by the selection-element size without checking for integer overflow, allocates an undersized heap buffer, and then copies data beyond that allocation with strncpy. A low-privileged local account must be able to execute ps with an extremely large argument; the documented consequence is interruption of that ps process, not kernel compromise.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-4016
- Published
- Aug 2, 2023
- Updated
- Feb 13, 2025
- Vendor
- Linux Foundation
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-787, CWE-122, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 2, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 13, 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=3.3.0 (might be earlier) - latest
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
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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