CVE-2022-29458 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the ncurses library version 6.3 prior to the patch released on April 16, 2022. Ncurses is a widely used programming library that provides an API to write text-based user interfaces in a terminal-independent manner, commonly employed in Unix-like operating systems. The vulnerability exists in the convert_strings function within the tinfo/read_entry.c source file of the terminfo component. Specifically, it is an out-of-bounds read leading to a segmentation violation (crash) due to improper bounds checking when processing terminfo entries. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read), which can cause a program to read memory outside the intended buffer, potentially leading to denial of service or information disclosure. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.1, indicating a high severity level. The vector string (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H) reveals that the attack vector requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but user interaction is necessary (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), with high impact on confidentiality (C:H), no impact on integrity (I:N), and high impact on availability (A:H). Exploitation could allow an unprivileged local user to cause a denial of service by crashing applications that use the vulnerable ncurses library, and potentially read sensitive memory contents, leading to confidentiality breaches. No known exploits in the wild have been reported to date. The lack of vendor or product specificity in the provided data suggests the vulnerability affects the ncurses library broadly wherever version 6.3 or earlier is deployed without the patch. Given ncurses' fundamental role in terminal handling, many Linux distributions and Unix-like systems are potentially affected.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-29458 can be significant, especially for those relying on Linux or Unix-based systems in their IT infrastructure. Since ncurses is a core library used by numerous command-line tools and applications, exploitation could lead to denial of service conditions, causing critical services or administrative tools to crash unexpectedly. This can disrupt operations, particularly in environments where terminal-based management or automation scripts are prevalent. The confidentiality impact is also notable; an out-of-bounds read could allow attackers to access sensitive information residing in memory, which may include credentials or other confidential data. This risk is heightened in multi-user systems or shared hosting environments common in European data centers. Although the attack requires local access and user interaction, insider threats or compromised user accounts could exploit this vulnerability. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the high CVSS score and potential for denial of service and data leakage mean organizations should prioritize remediation. Additionally, sectors with stringent compliance requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government in Europe must consider the confidentiality implications seriously to avoid regulatory penalties.

To mitigate CVE-2022-29458 effectively, European organizations should: 1) Immediately apply the official patch released for ncurses version 6.3 dated April 16, 2022, or upgrade to a later secure version. 2) Conduct an inventory of all systems running ncurses 6.3 or earlier, including embedded devices and containers, to ensure comprehensive coverage. 3) Restrict local user access to only trusted personnel and enforce strict user account controls to minimize the risk of exploitation requiring local access and user interaction. 4) Implement monitoring and alerting for unusual application crashes or segmentation faults related to terminal-based applications, which may indicate exploitation attempts. 5) Employ memory protection mechanisms such as Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) and stack canaries to reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation. 6) For environments where patching is delayed, consider applying application-level mitigations such as limiting the use of vulnerable terminal functions or isolating critical systems from untrusted users. 7) Educate users about the risks of interacting with untrusted terminal inputs or scripts that might trigger the vulnerability. 8) Regularly review and update incident response plans to include scenarios involving local privilege escalation or denial of service via terminal library vulnerabilities.