CVE-2022-35023 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in a specific commit (617837b) of the OTFCC project, which is related to font processing. The vulnerability manifests as a segmentation violation triggered via the standard C library (libc.so.6) on x86_64 Linux systems, specifically at an offset +0xbb384. The underlying weakness is classified under CWE-787, which corresponds to out-of-bounds write errors. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program writes data outside the boundaries of allocated memory, leading to memory corruption. In this case, the segmentation violation indicates that the program attempts to access or modify memory it should not, causing a crash or potentially exploitable condition. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5, reflecting a medium severity level. The vector string (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H) indicates that the vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without privileges, requires low attack complexity, no privileges, but does require user interaction. The impact is limited to availability (denial of service) with no direct confidentiality or integrity impact. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or vendor advisories are linked, suggesting that remediation may require manual code review or updates from the OTFCC project. The vulnerability affects a component used in font processing, which may be embedded in various software that handles fonts, such as document viewers, editors, or operating system font rendering subsystems. The lack of specific product or version information limits precise identification of affected systems, but the presence of libc and x86_64 Linux context suggests Linux-based environments using this OTFCC commit or derived software are at risk. The requirement for user interaction implies that exploitation might occur when a user opens or processes a malicious font file, potentially causing application crashes or denial of service conditions.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2022-35023 is the potential for denial of service in applications or systems that utilize the vulnerable OTFCC commit for font processing on Linux platforms. This could affect document processing workflows, font rendering in graphical environments, or any automated systems that parse font files. While there is no direct confidentiality or integrity compromise, availability disruptions can impact business continuity, especially in sectors relying heavily on document management, publishing, or graphical design. Organizations in finance, government, media, and education may experience operational interruptions if critical applications crash due to malicious or malformed font files. Additionally, if exploited in a targeted manner, attackers could cause repeated crashes to degrade service reliability. Given the requirement for user interaction, phishing or social engineering campaigns could be used to deliver malicious font files. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate potential future exploitation. European organizations using Linux-based systems with custom or open-source font processing components incorporating this OTFCC commit should be particularly vigilant.

To mitigate CVE-2022-35023, European organizations should first identify any software components or applications that incorporate the vulnerable OTFCC commit or rely on it for font processing. Since no official patches are currently linked, organizations should monitor the OTFCC project repositories and security advisories for updates or fixes. In the interim, implement strict input validation and sandboxing for applications that process font files to contain potential crashes and prevent system-wide impact. Employ application whitelisting and restrict the installation or opening of untrusted font files, especially those received via email or downloaded from unverified sources. Educate users about the risks of opening unknown documents or font files to reduce the likelihood of triggering the vulnerability. Additionally, consider deploying runtime protections such as Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) and Control Flow Integrity (CFI) to mitigate exploitation attempts. Regularly update the underlying Linux distributions and libc libraries to benefit from any indirect mitigations. Finally, maintain robust incident response plans to quickly address any denial of service events caused by this vulnerability.