# CVE-2022-38495: LIEF vulnerable to heap based buffer overflow via print_binary function

> A heap-buffer overflow in the LIEF library allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service via crafted Mach-O binaries.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 13 Sep 2022
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-42vg-2q93-fj6j, PYSEC-2022-276, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-38495

## What is CVE-2022-38495?

CVE-2022-38495 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 13 Sep 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

LIEF commit 365a16a was discovered to contain a heap-buffer overflow via the function print_binary at /c/macho_reader.c.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-38495?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including lief. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `lief` | PyPI | All versions to 0.12.1 | None |
| `lief` | PyPI | All versions to 0.12.1 | None |
| `lief` | PyPI | All versions | 0.12.1 |

Products: Lief-Project Lief.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-38495?

Upgrade lief to 0.12.1 or later.

## Is CVE-2022-38495 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-38495 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2021-32297](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32297/): LIEF heap-buffer-overflow (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-38306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38306/): LIEF vulnerable to heap based buffer overflow (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-43171](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-43171/): LIEF heap buffer overflow in the LIEF::MachO::BinaryParser::parse_dyldinfo_generic_bind (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2022-40922](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-40922/): LIEF vulnerable to denial of service through segmentation fault (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2022-40923](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-40923/): LIEF vulnerable to denial of service through segmentation fault (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-38495 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-38495 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 13 Sep 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-38495 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- lief (PyPI): affected all versions up to 0.12.1; no fix listed
- lief (PyPI): affected all versions up to 0.12.1; no fix listed
- lief (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.12.1

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38495/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38495/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-38495
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-38495
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-38495

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38495/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.