CVE-2021-35268: Buffer Overflow
From https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/08/30/1:
Security vulnerabilities were identified in the open source NTFS-3G and NTFSPROGS software. These vulnerabilities were confirmed and resolved. To our knowledge, these vulnerabilities have not been exploited.
These vulnerabilities may allow an attacker using a maliciously crafted NTFS-formatted image file or external storage to potentially execute arbitrary privileged code, if the attacker has either local access and the ntfs-3g binary is setuid root, or if the attacker has physical access to an external port to a computer which is configured to run the ntfs-3g binary or one of the ntfsprogs tools when the external storage is plugged into the computer. These vulnerabilities result from incorrect validation of some of the NTFS metadata that could potentially cause buffer overflows, which could be exploited by an attacker. Common ways for attackers to gain physical access to a machine is through social engineering or an evil maid attack on an unattended computer.
We recommend installing and applying the update with the security fixes, and advise to follow security guidance and frameworks such as NIST for assessing and improving an organization’s abilities to prevent, detect, and respond to security threats and cyber attacks.
AFFECTED PRODUCTS: All previous versions of open source NTFS-3G and NTFSPROGS.
WORKAROUND: None
SOLUTION: Upgrade to 2021.8.22
PROJECT URL: https://github.com/tuxera/ntfs-3g
ADVISORY ID: NTFS3G-SA-2021-0001
ISSUE DATE: 2021-08-30
SEVERITY: Moderate
CVEs: CVE-2021-33285, CVE-2021-35269, CVE-2021-35268, CVE-2021-33289, CVE-2021-33286, CVE-2021-35266, CVE-2021-33287, CVE-2021-35267, CVE-2021-39251, CVE-2021-39252, CVE-2021-39253, CVE-2021-39254, CVE-2021-39255, CVE-2021-39256, CVE-2021-39257, CVE-2021-39258, CVE-2021-39259, CVE-2021-39260, CVE-2021-39261, CVE-2021-39262, CVE-2021-39263
CVSS SCORE: 3.9-6.7
ACKNOWLEDGMENT: Jeremy Galindo, Akshay Ajayan, Kyle Zeng and Fish Wang for reporting these vulnerabilities.
Other sources
In NTFS-3G versions < 2021.8.22, when a specially crafted NTFS inode is loaded in the function ntfsinoderealopen, a heap buffer overflow can occur allowing for code execution and escalation of privileges.
The ntfs3g package is susceptible to a heap overflow on crafted input. When processing NTFS inodes, proper bounds checking was not enforced leading to this software flaw. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to confidentiality, integrity, as well as system availability.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
redhat/ntfs3gto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 2021.8.22 - Upgrade
Upgrade
debian/ntfs-3gto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 1:2017.3.23AR.3-4+deb11u4Fixed in 1:2017.3.23AR.3-4+deb11u3Fixed in 1:2022.10.3-1+deb12u2Fixed in 1:2022.10.3-5 - Upgrade
Upgrade
open source NTFS-3G and NTFSPROGSto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 2021.8.22Patch NTFS3G-SA-2021-0001
Event History
Parent advisories
This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2021-35268?
CVE-2021-35268 has a high severity rating due to the potential for code execution and privilege escalation.
How do I fix CVE-2021-35268?
To fix CVE-2021-35268, upgrade NTFS-3G to version 2021.8.22 or later.
Which versions of NTFS-3G are affected by CVE-2021-35268?
NTFS-3G versions prior to 2021.8.22 are affected by CVE-2021-35268.
Can CVE-2021-35268 lead to remote code execution?
Yes, CVE-2021-35268 allows for remote code execution due to the heap buffer overflow vulnerability.
What operating systems are impacted by CVE-2021-35268?
CVE-2021-35268 impacts various Debian and Fedora operating systems running affected versions of NTFS-3G.