NULL pointer dereference in Nicmx Fort Validator

CVE-2024-45238

An issue was discovered in Fort before 1.6.3. A malicious RPKI repository that descends from a (trusted) Trust Anchor can serve (via rsync or RRDP) a resource certificate containing a bit string that doesn't properly decode into a Subject Public Key. OpenSSL does not report this problem during parsing, and when compiled with OpenSSL libcrypto versions below 3, Fort recklessly dereferences the pointer. Because Fort is an RPKI Relying Party, a crash can lead to Route Origin Validation unavailability, which can lead to compromised routing.

EPSS: 0.003 (22.8th percentile) — read the EPSS interpretation.

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 7.5 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.

Affected products

Weakness classification (CWE)

Public proof-of-concept exploits

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2024-45238?
CVE-2024-45238 is a high-severity vulnerability in Nicmx Fort Validator, classified under NULL Pointer Dereference. CVSS score: 7.5/10. Published 2024-08-24.
How severe is CVE-2024-45238?
High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 7.5 out of 10.
Is CVE-2024-45238 known to be exploited?
3 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.