# CVE-2023-42459: Malformed DATA submessage leads to bad-free error in Fast-DDS

> Remote attackers can crash Fast-DDS processes or potentially execute code by sending malformed DATA submessages to discovery locators.

- **Severity:** High 8.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 16 Oct 2023
- **Updated:** 13 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2023-42459, DSA-5568-1, GHSA-gq8g-fj58-22gm, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-42459

## What is CVE-2023-42459?

CVE-2023-42459 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in eProsima Fast-DDS, published on 16 Oct 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Fast DDS is a C++ implementation of the DDS (Data Distribution Service) standard of the OMG (Object Management Group). In affected versions specific DATA submessages can be sent to a discovery locator which may trigger a free error. This can remotely crash any Fast-DDS process. The call to free() could potentially leave the pointer in the attackers control which could lead to a double free. This issue has been addressed in versions 2.12.0, 2.11.3, 2.10.3, and 2.6.7. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-590 (Free of Memory not on the Heap), CWE-416 (Use After Free), CWE-415 (Double Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-42459?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Eprosima Fast Dds.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-42459?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2023-42459 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-42459 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in eProsima Fast-DDS

- [CVE-2025-67108](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-67108/): Security feature bypass in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2024-28231](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-28231/): Manipulated DATA Submessage causes a heap-buffer-overflow error (critical 9.7)
- [CVE-2023-50716](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-50716/): Invalid DATA_FRAG Submessage causes a bad-free error (critical 9.7)
- [CVE-2023-50257](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-50257/): Disconnect Vulnerability in RTPS Packets Used by SROS2 (critical 9.7)
- [CVE-2024-30258](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-30258/): FastDDS crash when publisher send malformed packet (high 8.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-42459 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-42459 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in eProsima Fast-DDS, published on 16 Oct 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-42459 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: eProsima Fast-DDS. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2023-42459/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-42459/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-42459
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-42459
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-42459

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-42459/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.