Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a low-severity OpenSC/libopensc issue in smart-card initialization. A malicious USB device or smart card physically presented to a system could trigger incorrect handling of uninitialized data. Business urgency is limited unless systems accept untrusted smart cards or USB security tokens.
Executive priority
Treat this as a low-priority hygiene fix unless smart cards or USB security tokens are used in privileged workflows. It is not cited as actively exploited, but affected authentication infrastructure should still be patched during normal maintenance.
Technical view
CVE-2024-45618 affects pkcs15-init in OpenSC. Insufficient or missing checks of function return values can leave variables uninitialized after crafted APDU responses from a USB device or smart card. The CVSS 3.1 score is 3.9, with physical attack vector, high complexity, and low confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Linux systems using OpenSC/libopensc or opensc for smart-card workflows. The source bundle lists RHEL 7, 8, 9, and 10 opensc as affected. Systems without smart-card or USB-token use are less likely to be materially exposed.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not cite active exploitation, and KEV status is false. The reported path requires a crafted physical USB device or smart card returning specially crafted APDU responses. This does not indicate ordinary remote network exposure.
Researcher notes
The key weakness is CWE-457: use of uninitialized variables after missing or incorrect return-value checks. Available evidence describes the vulnerable component and attack preconditions, but the bundle does not provide detailed fixed versions or proof of active exploitation.
Mitigation direction
- Apply vendor-provided OpenSC or opensc updates from Red Hat or your Linux distribution when available.
- Restrict untrusted smart cards and USB security tokens on managed systems.
- Follow the Debian LTS advisory if running affected Debian OpenSC packages.
- Prioritize patching systems used for authentication, signing, or smart-card enrollment workflows.
Validation and detection
- Inventory systems with OpenSC, libopensc, or opensc installed.
- Identify systems that run pkcs15-init or perform smart-card initialization.
- Check Red Hat advisory status for each affected RHEL major version in use.
- Confirm vendor package versions after updates are applied.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-457: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2024-45618 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Low
- CVSS
- 3.9 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L0.53.4redhatVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
3.9LowVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- Source timelineredhat
Made public.
- Source timelineredhat
Reported to Red Hat.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2024-45618CVE reference, redhat · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHBZ#2309287CVE reference, redhat · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/12/msg00026.htmlCVE reference, CVE
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Use of Uninitialized Variable
Use of Uninitialized Variable represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.