Overview
CVE-2025-34297 describes an integer overflow vulnerability found in KissFFT versions prior to commit 1b083165. This flaw affects 32-bit architectures and can lead to a heap buffer overflow. The vulnerability lies within the kiss_fft_alloc() function in kiss_fft.c.
Technical Details
The root cause of this vulnerability is the lack of proper validation of the nfft parameter within the kiss_fft_alloc() function. On 32-bit platforms, where size_t is 32-bit, the calculation sizeof(kiss_fft_cpx) * (nfft - 1) can result in an integer overflow when nfft is a large value. This overflow wraps the calculated size to a small value.
Subsequently, malloc() allocates an undersized buffer based on the wrapped size. The following twiddle-factor initialization loop then attempts to write nfft elements into this smaller buffer, leading to a heap buffer overflow. This can result in program crashes, unpredictable behavior, or potentially, arbitrary code execution.
Specifically, the vulnerable code snippet is located in `kiss_fft.c` within the `kiss_fft_alloc` function.
CVSS Analysis
Due to the nature of the vulnerability and the information currently available, the CVSS score is not readily available (N/A). However, considering the potential for a heap buffer overflow, a high severity rating might be warranted depending on exploitability and impact in real-world scenarios. Further analysis and exploit development would be needed to accurately determine the CVSS score.
Possible Impact
The exploitation of CVE-2025-34297 can have significant consequences, particularly on 32-bit systems using vulnerable versions of KissFFT. The potential impact includes:
- Denial of Service (DoS): A successful exploit can cause the application using KissFFT to crash, leading to a denial of service.
- Memory Corruption: The heap buffer overflow corrupts memory, potentially affecting other parts of the application and leading to unpredictable behavior.
- Arbitrary Code Execution: In some scenarios, an attacker might be able to leverage the heap buffer overflow to inject and execute arbitrary code, gaining control of the system.
It’s crucial to note that the vulnerability is limited to 32-bit architectures, mitigating the risk on 64-bit systems.
Mitigation or Patch Steps
The recommended mitigation is to update KissFFT to a version that includes the fix from commit 1b083165. This commit addresses the integer overflow by implementing proper validation of the nfft parameter before allocating memory.
If upgrading is not immediately feasible, consider implementing input validation on the nfft parameter within your application to ensure it remains within safe bounds, preventing the integer overflow. However, upgrading to the patched version is the most secure and recommended approach.
