# CVE-2024-42381: Code injection in n/a

> Attackers can achieve code execution by providing a malicious ELF file with a custom interpreter section during Homebrew's binary relocation phase.

- **Severity:** High 8.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AC:H/AV:N/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:N/S:C/UI:R`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 31 Jul 2024
- **Updated:** 31 Jul 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-phm2-c5jj-q34c

## What is CVE-2024-42381?

CVE-2024-42381 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 31 Jul 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

os/linux/elf.rb in Homebrew brew before 4.2.20 uses ldd to load ELF files obtained from untrusted sources, which allows attackers to achieve code execution via an ELF file with a custom .interp section. NOTE: this code execution would occur during an un-sandboxed binary relocation phase, which occurs before a user would expect execution of downloaded package content. (237d1e783f7ee261beaba7d3f6bde22da7148b0a was the tested vulnerable version.)

Weakness: CWE-830 (Inclusion of Web Functionality from an Untrusted Source)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-42381?


## How do I fix CVE-2024-42381?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-42381 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-42381 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-42381 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-42381 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-42381 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 31 Jul 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-42381 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2024-42381/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42381/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-42381
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-42381
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-42381

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42381/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.