CVE-2026-44662 rust-openssl Heap Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2026-44662 is a heap buffer overflow vulnerability within the rust-openssl crate, specifically triggered during encryption operations utilizing the AES key-wrap-with-padding algorithm. While the Microsoft Security Response Center advisory acknowledges the vulnerability, it lacks detailed exploitation specifics. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to overwrite heap memory, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or a denial-of-service condition. The lack of information in the source limits the ability to describe the full scope of the threat.

Attack Chain

Due to the limited information, the exact attack chain cannot be fully determined. However, a potential attack chain might involve the following steps:

1. An attacker crafts malicious input designed to trigger the vulnerable code path within the rust-openssl crate’s AES key-wrap-with-padding encryption functionality.
2. The attacker leverages an application or service that utilizes the vulnerable rust-openssl crate for cryptographic operations.
3. The malicious input is processed by the application, leading to the invocation of the vulnerable AES key-wrap-with-padding encryption routine.
4. During the encryption process, the heap buffer overflow occurs due to insufficient bounds checking or incorrect memory allocation size.
5. The overflowed memory overwrites adjacent heap data, potentially corrupting critical program data structures or function pointers.
6. If function pointers are overwritten, the attacker could gain arbitrary code execution when the overwritten function pointer is called.
7. Alternatively, the heap corruption could lead to a denial-of-service condition if the program crashes or becomes unstable.

Impact

Successful exploitation of CVE-2026-44662 can lead to heap corruption, potentially resulting in arbitrary code execution or a denial-of-service condition. The impact depends on the context in which the vulnerable rust-openssl crate is used.

Recommendation

• Apply the appropriate patch or update for the rust-openssl crate to address CVE-2026-44662 as soon as it becomes available.
• Monitor process execution for unexpected code execution or crashes related to cryptographic operations, using the process_creation rule provided below.
• Audit applications that use the rust-openssl crate to identify potential vulnerabilities related to AES key-wrap-with-padding encryption.