CVE-2022-35043 is a heap buffer overflow vulnerability identified in the OTFCC project, specifically triggered via the binary component otfccdump at an offset of 0x6c08a6. OTFCC (OpenType Font Compression and Conversion) is a toolset used for manipulating OpenType font files, often utilized by developers and organizations working with font rendering and typography. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-787, which corresponds to out-of-bounds write errors, indicating that the software writes data outside the allocated heap buffer boundaries. This can lead to memory corruption, crashes, or potentially arbitrary code execution. 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 attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges (PR:N), but does require user interaction (UI:R). The scope remains unchanged (S:U), and the impact is limited to availability (A:H) with no confidentiality or integrity impact. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or vendor advisories have been linked. The vulnerability could be triggered by processing crafted font files using otfccdump, leading to denial of service via application crash or potential exploitation if further memory corruption is leveraged. Given the lack of authentication requirements and network attack vector, this vulnerability could be exploited remotely if the vulnerable tool is exposed or used in automated font processing pipelines that handle untrusted input. However, the need for user interaction reduces the likelihood of widespread automated exploitation. The absence of vendor and product details limits precise identification of affected versions, but the vulnerability is tied to a specific commit in the OTFCC codebase, suggesting it affects certain builds or versions incorporating that commit.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2022-35043 is the potential disruption of services or workflows that rely on OTFCC tools for font processing, rendering, or conversion. Industries such as digital publishing, graphic design, software development, and web content management that utilize OpenType font manipulation could experience denial of service conditions if maliciously crafted fonts are processed. Although the vulnerability does not directly compromise confidentiality or integrity, availability impacts could delay production pipelines or cause application crashes, leading to operational inefficiencies. Since the vulnerability requires user interaction, phishing or social engineering could be used to trick users into processing malicious font files, posing a risk in environments where font files are exchanged or imported from external sources. The lack of known exploits and patches means organizations may be unaware of the risk or unable to remediate promptly, increasing exposure. Additionally, automated font processing systems integrated into CI/CD pipelines or content management systems could be targeted if they incorporate vulnerable OTFCC components, potentially causing service interruptions. The impact is more pronounced in organizations with high dependency on font tooling and those that handle untrusted font data from third parties or the internet.

To mitigate CVE-2022-35043, European organizations should first identify any use of OTFCC tools, particularly otfccdump, within their environments, including development, testing, and production systems. Since no official patches are currently linked, organizations should monitor the OTFCC project repositories and security advisories for updates or fixes addressing this heap buffer overflow. In the interim, restrict the processing of font files to trusted sources only, implementing strict validation and sandboxing of font processing operations to contain potential crashes or memory corruption. Employ application whitelisting and endpoint protection to detect anomalous behavior related to otfccdump execution. Where possible, isolate font processing tasks in virtualized or containerized environments to limit the blast radius of any exploitation attempts. Educate users about the risks of opening or processing font files from unverified sources to reduce the likelihood of social engineering attacks. For automated pipelines, incorporate input sanitization and integrity checks on font files before processing. Finally, consider alternative font processing tools with a stronger security track record until a patch is available for OTFCC.