CVE-2023-40548: Shim: interger overflow leads to heap buffer overflow in verify_sbat_section on 32-bits systems

Published Oct 2, 2023
·
Updated

A buffer overflow was found in Shim in the 32-bit system. The overflow happens due to an addition operation involving a user-controlled value parsed from the PE binary being used by Shim. This value is further used for memory allocation operations, leading to a heap-based buffer overflow. This flaw causes memory corruption and can lead to a crash or data integrity issues during the boot phase.

Other sources

An integer overflow issue exists in shim when compiled for 32-bit processors. The issue is due to performing addition on a user-controlled value parsed from the PE being loaded without verifying that the result of the addition does not overflow. The overflowed value is passed as a size to AllocatePool, and then the resulting buffer is copied to using the original value, resulting in a buffer overflow.

Red Hat

rhboot shim could allow a local attacker to execute arbitrary code on the system, caused by an integer overflow leads to a heap-based buffer overflow in verifysbatsection on 32-bits systems. By sending a specially crafted request, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on the system.

IBM

Affected Software

7 affected componentsFixes available
redhat/shim<15.8
15.8
redhat Shim<15.8
redhat Shim=15.8-rc1
Fedoraproject Fedora=39
IBM R10.0<=10.1.3.0 10.0.245.0
IBM R9.4<=89.42.18.0 89.41.25.0 89.40.83.0
IBM R9.3<=89.33.52.0 89.33.45.0

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/shim to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 15.8

Event History

Jan 29, 2024
CVE Published
via MITRE·02:53 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·02:53 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
May 27, 2025
Data Sourced
via IBM·12:00 AM
DescriptionAffected Software

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2023-40548?

CVE-2023-40548 is classified as a critical vulnerability due to the potential for a heap-based buffer overflow.

2

How do I fix CVE-2023-40548?

To mitigate CVE-2023-40548, you should upgrade to the latest version of Shim, specifically version 15.8 or higher.

3

What software is affected by CVE-2023-40548?

CVE-2023-40548 affects the Shim package in Red Hat and Fedora systems, specifically versions up to 15.8 and 39 respectively.

4

What risks does CVE-2023-40548 pose to my system?

Exploiting CVE-2023-40548 could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected systems, compromising their integrity.

5

Is there a workaround for CVE-2023-40548?

Yes, temporarily restricting access to the affected Shim package can act as a workaround until a proper update is applied.

Contact

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