CVE-2024-29646

What it actually does

A buffer overflow in the handling of name, type, or group fields allows an attacker to overwrite memory and execute arbitrary code.

Why it matters to the business

Attackers could gain control of systems running vulnerable versions of the analysis tool, potentially leading to data theft or further network compromise. Low urgency due to low EPSS score with minimal recent increase and no known exploitation campaigns.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker supplies specially crafted input containing oversized or malformed data in the name, type, or group fields to trigger the buffer overflow and inject shellcode for arbitrary code execution.

How to fix it

Upgrade radare2 to a patched version that resolves the buffer overflow in name, type, and group field handling once released by the project maintainers.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the installed radare2 version is newer than 5.8.8 and test processing of files containing edge-case data in the affected fields without triggering crashes or unexpected behavior.

Typical attack path

1. Identify systems using radare2 version 5.8.8
2. Craft a malicious file or binary with oversized data in the name, type, or group fields
3. Load the crafted file into the vulnerable radare2 instance
4. Trigger the buffer overflow to execute arbitrary code on the host

How to detect it

Monitor application logs and system events for radare2 crashes or abnormal memory usage when processing input files; correlate with subsequent suspicious process creation or network activity.

What your security team should do

• Upgrade radare2 immediately upon availability of a fixed release
• Restrict analysis of untrusted binaries with the affected version
• Implement sandboxing for any file analysis workflows using radare2