Summary
LIEF vulnerable to heap based buffer overflow via print_binary function
LIEF commit 365a16a was discovered to contain a heap-buffer overflow via the function print_binary at /c/macho_reader.c. Commit 0033b6312fd311b2e45e379c04a83d77c1e58578 contains a patch.
Impact
A write operation targets a memory location beyond the intended buffer boundary. Typical impact: memory corruption, crash, or arbitrary code execution.
CVE-2022-38495 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (High). The vector is requires local access, no privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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In the interim: Keep the dependency up to date. In native-code projects, use bounds-checked containers and enable compiler hardening flags.
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2022-38495? CVE-2022-38495 is a high-severity out-of-bounds write vulnerability in lief (pip), affecting versions >= 0, <= 0.12.1. No fixed version is listed yet. A write operation targets a memory location beyond the intended buffer boundary.
- How severe is CVE-2022-38495? CVE-2022-38495 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of lief are affected by CVE-2022-38495? lief (pip) versions >= 0, <= 0.12.1 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2022-38495? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2022-38495 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2022-38495 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-38495 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2022-38495 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2022-38495? No fixed version is listed yet. In the interim: Keep the dependency up to date. In native-code projects, use bounds-checked containers and enable compiler hardening flags.