CVE-2025-29087: SQLite Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2025-29087 Overview

In SQLite 3.44.0 through 3.49.0 before 3.49.1, the concat_ws() SQL function can cause memory to be written beyond the end of a malloc-allocated buffer. If the separator argument is attacker-controlled and has a large string (e.g., 2MB or more), an integer overflow occurs in calculating the size of the result buffer, and thus malloc may not allocate enough memory.

Critical Impact
This vulnerability can lead to denial of service through memory corruption, potentially allowing attackers to crash applications using vulnerable SQLite versions.

Affected Products

SQLite 3.44.0
SQLite 3.45.0
SQLite 3.48.0

Discovery Timeline

Not Available - Vulnerability discovered by Not Available
Not Available - Responsible disclosure to sqlite
Not Available - CVE CVE-2025-29087 assigned
Not Available - sqlite releases security patch
2025-04-07 - CVE CVE-2025-29087 published to NVD
2025-04-30 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-29087

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability arises from an integer overflow in the concat_ws() SQL function. The overflow occurs when calculating the size of the result buffer for the concatenated string, leading to insufficient memory allocation and subsequent buffer overflow. This can be exploited with attacker-controlled inputs.

Root Cause

The root cause is an improper calculation of buffer size when concatenating strings, where large separator inputs exceed the calculated integer limit.

Attack Vector

Exploitation is achievable over a network by sending specially crafted SQL queries to systems using the vulnerable SQLite versions.

sql

-- Example SQL that could trigger the overflow
SELECT concat_ws(CHAR(44), REPEAT('A', 2000000), 'text');

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-29087

Indicators of Compromise

Unusual application crashes
Excessive memory usage leading to process termination
Log entries with exceptionally large input strings

Detection Strategies

Implement anomaly detection on SQL query sizes and unusual memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.

Monitoring Recommendations

Regularly review logs for large, unusual SQL queries and monitor memory usage patterns using tools like SentinelOne for anomalous behavior.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-29087

Immediate Actions Required

Update to SQLite 3.49.1 immediately
Restrict network access to databases where possible
Employ input validation and limit input size for SQL queries

Patch Information

Ensure systems are updated to at least SQLite version 3.49.1, as detailed in the release notes.

Workarounds

In scenarios where immediate patching is not feasible, disable the concat_ws() SQL function or implement strict input validation.

bash

# Example to disable concat_ws function
ALTER FUNCTION concat_ws DISABLE;