CVE intelligence and bounded remediation

CVE-2022-36086 — linked_list_allocator is an allocator usable for no_std systems

Critical CVSS 9.8

linked_list_allocator is an allocator usable for no_std systems. Prior to version 0.10.2, the heap initialization methods were missing a minimum size check for the given heap size argument. This could lead to out-of-bound writes when a heap was initialized with a size smaller than `3 * size_of::<usize>` because of metadata write operations. This vulnerability impacts all the initialization functions on the `Heap` and `LockedHeap` types, including `Heap::new`, `Heap::init`, `Heap::init_from_slice`, and `LockedHeap::new`. It also affects multiple uses of the `Heap::extend` method. Version 0.10.2 contains a patch for the issue. As a workaround, ensure that the heap is only initialized with a size larger than `3 * size_of::<usize>` and that the `Heap::extend` method is only called with sizes larger than `2 * size_of::<usize>()`. Also, ensure that the total heap size is (and stays) a multiple of `2 * size_of::<usize>()`.

Severity
Critical
CVSS
9.8 (3.1)
Published
2022-09-07
CISA KEV
Not currently listed
Ecosystem
software/application
Weaknesses
CWE-119, CWE-787, CWE-1284

Affected products

  • rust-osdev / linked-list-allocator

Matched remediation archetype

Buffer bounds, memory safety, and memory corruption

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Check exposure

  • Identify affected native-code versions, build flags, architectures, parsers, codecs, drivers, and input paths in all shipped artifacts.
  • Determine whether untrusted data reaches the affected routine and the process privilege, sandbox, and network exposure.
  • Confirm statically linked, vendored, firmware, and platform-provided copies, not only package-manager records.

Remediate safely

  • Apply the maintained upstream correction or replace the affected component, then rebuild every dependent artifact from clean inputs.
  • Adopt bounds-checked interfaces, validated sizes and integer conversions, clear ownership, and memory-safe components where practical.
  • Enable supported compiler and runtime hardening and add sanitized tests and fuzz regression seeds derived from non-weaponized fixtures.

Authoritative sources

Complete CVE record and remediation plan

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