CVE-2025-66038: OpenSC: `sc_compacttlv_find_tag` can return out-of-bounds pointers
OpenSC is an open source smart card tools and middleware. Prior to version 0.27.0, sccompacttlvfindtag searches a compact-TLV buffer for a given tag. In compact-TLV, a single byte encodes the tag (high nibble) and value length (low nibble). With a 1-byte buffer {0x0A}, the encoded element claims tag=0 and length=10 but no value bytes follow. Calling sccompacttlvfindtag with search tag 0x00 returns a pointer equal to buf+1 and outlen=10 without verifying that the claimed value length fits within the remaining buffer. In cases where the sccompacttlvfindtag is provided untrusted data (such as being read from cards/files), attackers may be able to influence it to return out-of-bounds pointers leading to downstream memory corruption when subsequent code tries to dereference the pointer. This issue has been patched in version 0.27.0.
Other sources
OpenSC: sccompacttlvfindtag can return out-of-bounds pointers
— Microsoft
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade to a fixed release to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 0.27.1-1 - Upgrade
Upgrade
OpenSC (sc_compacttlv_find_tag)to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 0.27.0
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2025-66038?
CVE-2025-66038 has a severity rating that indicates a risk of out-of-bounds memory access in the OpenSC library, which can lead to potential exploitation.
How do I fix CVE-2025-66038?
To resolve CVE-2025-66038, you should upgrade your OpenSC version to 0.27.0 or later to eliminate the vulnerability.
What systems are affected by CVE-2025-66038?
CVE-2025-66038 affects all versions of OpenSC prior to 0.27.0.
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2025-66038?
CVE-2025-66038 is classified as a memory corruption vulnerability due to out-of-bounds pointer dereference.
Is there a workaround for CVE-2025-66038?
There are no known workarounds for CVE-2025-66038; the best course of action is to update to the fixed version.