CVE-2024-45618

What it actually does

Missing return value checks in pkcs15-init cause use of uninitialized variables when processing crafted APDU responses from a USB device or smart card, resulting in memory corruption.

Why it matters to the business

Low-risk physical attack vector allows limited unauthorized access or data manipulation on systems using OpenSC for smart card operations; physical access requirement and high complexity limit real-world exposure.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with physical access presents a malicious smart card or USB device that returns specially crafted APDU responses; pkcs15-init fails to validate function returns, leading to operations on uninitialized variables and memory corruption.

How to fix it

Upgrade opensc/opensc to commit fe857cc4c68da4873071f168c9aaf9860040ff4e or later; rebuild and redeploy affected packages.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the installed OpenSC binary or library reports the fixed commit hash; perform functional testing with known-good smart cards to ensure APDU handling succeeds without crashes or unexpected behavior.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain physical access to the target system
2. Insert a crafted USB device or smart card
3. Trigger pkcs15-init processing of APDU responses
4. Exploit uninitialized variable use for limited corruption effects

How to detect it

Review system and application logs for pkcs15-init crashes, segmentation faults, or uninitialized variable warnings during card initialization; inspect for unexpected process terminations involving OpenSC components.

• pkcs15-init
• segmentation fault.*opensc
• uninitialized variable.*APDU

What your security team should do

• Prioritize upgrade of OpenSC in all environments handling smart cards
• Restrict physical access to systems with card readers
• Monitor for OpenSC-related crashes in system logs