CVE-2022-40923 is a vulnerability identified in the LIEF library, specifically within the Mach-O parsing component, in the function LIEF::MachO::SegmentCommand::virtual_address. LIEF (Library to Instrument Executable Formats) is an open-source library used for parsing, modifying, and abstracting executable formats such as ELF, PE, and Mach-O. The vulnerability allows an attacker to craft a malicious Mach-O file that triggers a segmentation fault when processed by the vulnerable function. This results in a denial of service (DoS) condition, causing the application or service using LIEF to crash or become unresponsive. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5 (medium severity), with the vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), user interaction required (UI:R), unchanged scope (S:U), no impact on confidentiality or integrity (C:N/I:N), and high impact on availability (A:H). The vulnerability stems from improper input validation (CWE-20), where the crafted Mach-O file leads to invalid memory access. There are no known exploits in the wild, and no patches or vendor advisories are currently available. The vulnerability affects LIEF version 0.12.1, but specific affected products or vendors are not listed, as LIEF is a library integrated into various tools and workflows that handle Mach-O files, primarily on macOS platforms. Exploitation requires the victim to process a malicious Mach-O file, implying user interaction or processing of untrusted files. The impact is limited to denial of service rather than code execution or data compromise.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2022-40923 is the potential disruption of services or tools that rely on the LIEF library to parse Mach-O files. Organizations involved in software development, malware analysis, digital forensics, or security research that handle macOS binaries may be affected if they use vulnerable versions of LIEF. The denial of service could interrupt automated analysis pipelines, continuous integration systems, or security tools, leading to operational delays and reduced productivity. Since the vulnerability does not allow code execution or data leakage, the confidentiality and integrity of systems remain intact. However, availability impact could affect incident response or malware detection capabilities, especially in environments where macOS software analysis is critical. Given that exploitation requires user interaction or processing of crafted Mach-O files, the risk is mitigated in environments that do not handle such files or have strict file validation policies. The lack of known exploits in the wild further reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the need for vigilance. European organizations with macOS infrastructure or those engaged in cross-platform software development should assess their use of LIEF and related tools to understand exposure.

To mitigate CVE-2022-40923, European organizations should first identify all internal tools, libraries, and workflows that incorporate LIEF, especially version 0.12.1 or earlier. Since no official patch is currently available, organizations should consider the following specific actions: 1) Avoid processing untrusted or unauthenticated Mach-O files in automated systems; implement strict file validation and sandboxing to isolate parsing operations. 2) Where possible, upgrade to newer versions of LIEF if patches addressing this vulnerability are released; monitor the LIEF project repositories and security advisories for updates. 3) Implement runtime protections such as memory safety tools (e.g., AddressSanitizer) during development and testing to detect and prevent crashes caused by malformed inputs. 4) Enhance monitoring and alerting for crashes or abnormal terminations in tools that parse Mach-O files to quickly detect exploitation attempts. 5) Educate developers and security analysts about the risks of processing crafted Mach-O files and enforce policies to handle such files cautiously. 6) Consider alternative libraries or tools for Mach-O parsing if LIEF remains unpatched and the risk is unacceptable. These mitigations go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific context of Mach-O file handling and the operational use of LIEF in affected environments.