CVE-2023-7256

A vulnerability was found in libpcap. During the setup of a remote packet capture, the internal sock_initaddress() function calls getaddrinfo() and possibly freeaddrinfo(), but does not clearly indicate to the caller function as to whether freeaddrinfo() remains to be called after the function returns.  This issue makes it possible in some scenarios that the function and its caller call freeaddrinfo() for the same allocated memory block.

This vulnerability is classified as Moderate severity rather than Important because while it involves a double-free condition that can lead to undefined behavior, the exploitability is generally constrained by the specific conditions under which the vulnerability can be triggered. The vulnerability arises in the handling of memory allocation and deallocation within a specific internal function (sock_initaddress()) during the remote packet capture setup, which is not commonly exposed to untrusted inputs or frequent use in most applications. Additionally, triggering the double-free condition typically requires precise control over the function's execution flow, limiting the practicality of exploitation.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.

Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.