CVE-2024-45288

Local privilege escalation via unterminated nvlist string

Published Sep 5, 2024 · Updated Sep 20, 2024

Out-of-bounds write in FreeBSD libnv allows local users to escalate privileges or panic affected systems via a packed string array. The nvpair_unpack_string_array routine fails to verify that the final serialized string ends with a null byte before processing it, permitting access beyond the supplied buffer. A local malicious process must submit a crafted packed nvlist through a libnv consumer; the overwrite can affect userland or kernel memory.

CVSS severity8.4
High
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

Out-of-bounds write in FreeBSD libnv allows local users to escalate privileges or panic affected systems via a packed string array. The nvpair_unpack_string_array routine fails to verify that the final serialized string ends with a null byte before processing it, permitting access beyond the supplied buffer. A local malicious process must submit a crafted packed nvlist through a libnv consumer; the overwrite can affect userland or kernel memory.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-45288
Published
Sep 5, 2024
Updated
Sep 20, 2024
Vendor
The FreeBSD Project
Product
FreeBSD
Classifications
CWE-170, CWE-787, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 5, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 20, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=13.3 <13.3_p6
  2. Affected versionversion=13.3-RELEASE <p6
  3. Affected versionversion=14.0 <14.0_p10
  4. Affected versionversion=14.0-RELEASE <p10
  5. Affected versionversion=14.1 <14.1_p4
  6. Affected versionversion=14.1-RELEASE <p4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The FreeBSD Project · FreeBSDversion=13.3 <13.3_p6; version=13.3-RELEASE <p6; version=14.0 <14.0_p10; version=14.0-RELEASE <p10; version=14.1 <14.1_p4; version=14.1-RELEASE <p4

Published CVSS scores

8.4CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-170Improper Null Termination
CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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