Local service crash via uninitialized password pointer
Published Feb 10, 2025 · Updated Feb 10, 2025
Null pointer dereference in OpenSC Project pam_pkcs11 0.6.12 and earlier allows local users to crash a PAM-using process. When PIN entry returns no password after Ctrl-C or Ctrl-D, pam_get_pwd leaves the password pointer uninitialized, and the authentication-failure path passes it to strlen and cleanse. Reachability requires a local PAM authentication prompt backed by pam_pkcs11; exploitation terminates the calling process and can interrupt an associated daemon.
Summary
What happened
Null pointer dereference in OpenSC Project pam_pkcs11 0.6.12 and earlier allows local users to crash a PAM-using process. When PIN entry returns no password after Ctrl-C or Ctrl-D, pam_get_pwd leaves the password pointer uninitialized, and the authentication-failure path passes it to strlen and cleanse. Reachability requires a local PAM authentication prompt backed by pam_pkcs11; exploitation terminates the calling process and can interrupt an associated daemon.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-24031
- Published
- Feb 10, 2025
- Updated
- Feb 10, 2025
- Vendor
- OpenSC Project
- Product
- pam_pkcs11
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 10, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 10, 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=<= 0.6.12
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
- PIN cancellation crash proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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