CVE-2022-40284 is a high-severity buffer overflow vulnerability found in NTFS-3G, a widely used open-source driver that provides read and write access to NTFS file systems on Unix-like operating systems. The vulnerability exists in versions of NTFS-3G prior to 2022.10.3. It arises from improper handling of crafted metadata within an NTFS image, which can lead to a buffer overflow condition. This overflow can be exploited to achieve arbitrary code execution. The attack scenarios include a local attacker exploiting the vulnerability if the ntfs-3g binary is setuid root, allowing privilege escalation to root. Additionally, a physically proximate attacker can exploit the vulnerability if the NTFS-3G software is configured to automatically execute upon the attachment of an external storage device containing maliciously crafted NTFS metadata. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-120 (Classic Buffer Overflow), indicating that the root cause is a failure to properly validate input size before copying data into a buffer. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8 (high), reflecting the significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with relatively low attack complexity and the requirement for local privileges or physical proximity. No known exploits in the wild have been reported to date. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on November 6, 2022, and patches are available in NTFS-3G version 2022.10.3 and later. However, the provided information does not include direct patch links. This vulnerability is particularly relevant for systems that mount NTFS volumes using NTFS-3G, especially those that run the ntfs-3g binary with elevated privileges or have automount features enabled for external NTFS drives.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-40284 can be significant, especially for enterprises and government agencies relying on Unix-like systems (Linux, BSD, macOS) that interact with NTFS-formatted external storage devices. Successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise due to arbitrary code execution with root privileges, resulting in data breaches, system downtime, or lateral movement within networks. Organizations that use NTFS-3G in environments with shared physical access or where external devices are frequently connected (e.g., public institutions, manufacturing plants, research labs) are at higher risk. The vulnerability undermines confidentiality by allowing unauthorized access to sensitive data, integrity by enabling modification of system files or logs, and availability by potentially causing system crashes or denial of service. Given the requirement for local or physical access, remote exploitation is unlikely, but insider threats or targeted physical attacks remain plausible. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits over time. European organizations with strict regulatory requirements (e.g., GDPR) must consider the compliance implications of potential data breaches stemming from this vulnerability.

1. Upgrade NTFS-3G to version 2022.10.3 or later, where the vulnerability is patched. 2. Review and restrict the use of the ntfs-3g binary with setuid root permissions; avoid running it with elevated privileges unless absolutely necessary. 3. Disable or carefully control automount features for external NTFS devices, especially in sensitive environments, to prevent automatic execution of vulnerable code upon device attachment. 4. Implement strict physical security controls to limit unauthorized physical access to systems that mount NTFS volumes. 5. Monitor system logs and audit mounts of external storage devices for unusual activity that could indicate exploitation attempts. 6. Employ application whitelisting or mandatory access controls (e.g., SELinux, AppArmor) to restrict execution of unauthorized binaries or scripts triggered by mounting NTFS devices. 7. Educate users about the risks of connecting untrusted external storage devices to critical systems. 8. Conduct regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing focused on storage device handling and privilege escalation vectors.