Read Time:2 Minute, 2 Second
Description
The software writes to a buffer using an index or pointer that references a memory location prior to the beginning of the buffer.
This typically occurs when a pointer or its index is decremented to a position before the buffer, when pointer arithmetic results in a position before the beginning of the valid memory location, or when a negative index is used.
Modes of Introduction:
– Architecture and Design
Likelihood of Exploit: Medium
Related Weaknesses
CWE-786
CWE-787
Consequences
Integrity, Availability: Modify Memory, DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
Out of bounds memory access will very likely result in the corruption of relevant memory, and perhaps instructions, possibly leading to a crash.
Integrity, Confidentiality, Availability, Access Control, Other: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands, Modify Memory, Bypass Protection Mechanism, Other
If the corrupted memory can be effectively controlled, it may be possible to execute arbitrary code. If the corrupted memory is data rather than instructions, the system will continue to function with improper changes, possibly in violation of an implicit or explicit policy. The consequences would only be limited by how the affected data is used, such as an adjacent memory location that is used to specify whether the user has special privileges.
Access Control, Other: Bypass Protection Mechanism, Other
When the consequence is arbitrary code execution, this can often be used to subvert any other security service.
Potential Mitigations
Phase: Requirements
Description:
Choose a language that is not susceptible to these issues.
Phase: Implementation
Description:
All calculated values that are used as index or for pointer arithmetic should be validated to ensure that they are within an expected range.
CVE References
- CVE-2021-24018
- buffer underwrite in firmware verification routine allows code execution via a crafted firmware image
- CVE-2002-2227
- Unchecked length of SSLv2 challenge value leads to buffer underflow.
- CVE-2007-4580
- Buffer underflow from a small size value with a large buffer (length parameter inconsistency, CWE-130)
- CVE-2007-1584
- Buffer underflow from an all-whitespace string, which causes a counter to be decremented before the buffer while looking for a non-whitespace character.
- CVE-2007-0886
- Buffer underflow resultant from encoded data that triggers an integer overflow.
- CVE-2006-6171
- Product sets an incorrect buffer size limit, leading to “off-by-two” buffer underflow.
- CVE-2006-4024
- Negative value is used in a memcpy() operation, leading to buffer underflow.
- CVE-2004-2620
- Buffer underflow due to mishandled special characters
