CVE-2024-45620

What it actually does

The pkcs15-init tool in OpenSC incorrectly accesses initialized portions of buffers when processing partially filled data returned from APDU responses on a crafted USB device or smart card, resulting in memory corruption.

Why it matters to the business

Systems that perform smart card or USB token initialization face limited risk of memory corruption or instability only when an attacker has physical access to connect a malicious device; the low severity and physical-access requirement keep operational disruption minimal for most environments.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker crafts a USB device or smart card that supplies specially formed APDU responses causing partial buffer fills; when the pkcs15-init tool processes these responses it accesses uninitialized or incorrectly bounded memory regions, enabling local memory corruption.

How to fix it

Upgrade OpenSC to the version containing commit fe857cc4c68da4873071f168c9aaf9860040ff4e or later; rebuild and redeploy any affected packages that embed the vulnerable pkcs15-init binary.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the installed OpenSC binary or source contains commit fe857cc4c68da4873071f168c9aaf9860040ff4e; test initialization flows with both benign and edge-case APDU responses to verify buffer handling behaves correctly.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain physical access to a system running pkcs15-init
2. Connect a crafted USB device or smart card
3. Invoke the pkcs15-init tool against the device
4. Trigger buffer handling that leads to memory corruption

How to detect it

Inspect system and application logs for pkcs15-init invocations, unexpected crashes, or memory-related errors that coincide with insertion of external USB or smart-card devices.

What your security team should do

• Apply the fixed OpenSC commit immediately on all systems that use pkcs15-init
• Enforce physical-access controls around workstations that initialize smart cards or tokens
• Remove or disable pkcs15-init where smart-card initialization is not required