CVE-2012-4024
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedStack-based buffer overflow in the get_component function in unsquashfs.c in unsquashfs in Squashfs 4.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted list file (aka a crafted file for the -ef option). NOTE: probably in most cases, the list file is a trusted file constructed by the program's user; however, there are some realistic situations in which a list file would be obtained from an untrusted remote source.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceStack-based buffer overflow in the get_component function in unsquashfs.c allows arbitrary code execution when processing a crafted list file via the -ef option in Squashfs 4.2 and earlier. The vulnerability occurs due to insufficient bounds checking when parsing the list file contents.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data<= 4.2CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- M
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Partial
- Integrity
- Partial
- Availability
- Partial
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify Squashfs tool versionRun `unsquashfs -version` or `squashfs -version` to determine the installed versionAffected if Version is 4.2 or earlier (the version number displayed is less than or equal to 4.2)
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Locate the unsquashfs binaryExecute `which unsquashfs` to find the binary pathAffected if The binary exists on the system (indicating squashfs-tools is installed)
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Check for active -ef option usageReview any scripts, cron jobs, or commands that invoke unsquashfs with the `-ef` flag followed by a list fileAffected if The -ef option is used with a list file in any unsquashfs command invocation
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Inspect the list file being used with -efExamine the file path specified after the -ef option in any unsquashfs command; verify its contents and sourceAffected if The list file is from an untrusted source, is user-controlled, or contains unexpectedly long path entries
User is affected if Squashfs version 4.2 or earlier is installed AND the -ef option is being used with a list file, particularly one from an untrusted source.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataAvoid using untrusted list files with the -ef option; update Squashfs to a version newer than 4.2 which contains the bounds-checked get_component fix.
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2012-4024 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2012-4024 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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