Critical Security Update: CVE-2024-23337 Vulnerability Patched in openSUSE Leap 15.6

 

openSUSE Leap 15.6 has released a critical security patch for CVE-2024-23337, addressing a signed integer overflow vulnerability in jq. Learn how to protect your Linux systems with step-by-step patch instructions, affected package lists, and expert security insights.

Understanding the jq Integer Overflow Vulnerability (CVE-2024-23337)

A newly discovered security flaw, CVE-2024-23337, affects the popular jq JSON processor in openSUSE Leap 15.6 and related SUSE distributions. This moderate-severity vulnerability could allow attackers to trigger a signed integer overflow in jv.c:jvp_array_write, potentially leading to crashes or arbitrary code execution.

Why is this update critical?

• Security Impact: Exploitable via malformed JSON input, risking system instability.

• Enterprise Risk: Affects SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro, Rancher deployments, and cloud infrastructure.

• Patch Urgency: Rated Moderate by SUSE, but proactive updates prevent exploit chaining.

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Step-by-Step Patch Installation Guide

Recommended Update Methods

1. YaST Online Update: GUI-based patching for enterprise environments.

2. Zypper Patch Command: Fastest deployment for sysadmins.

Terminal Commands for Affected Systems

bash

# openSUSE Leap 15.6  
zypper in -t patch openSUSE-SLE-15.6-2025-2384=1  

# SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5  
zypper in -t patch SUSE-SLE-Micro-5.5-2025-2384=1  

(Full command list for all distributions in Patch Details)

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Affected Packages & Version Updates

Distribution	Patched Package	Version
openSUSE Leap 15.6	jq, libjq1	1.6-150000.3.6.1
SUSE Micro 5.4	jq-debuginfo	1.6-150000.3.6.1

Key Packages Updated:

• libjq-devel (development headers)

• jq-debugsource (debug symbols)

• libjq1 (runtime library)

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Security Context & Best Practices

Q: How does this vulnerability compare to past jq flaws?
A: Unlike 2023’s memory corruption bugs (e.g., CVE-2023-2812), this overflow is context-dependent, requiring specific JSON parsing scenarios.

Proactive Measures:

• Audit JSON processing in CI/CD pipelines.

• Monitor jq usage in containerized environments (e.g., Rancher).

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References & Further Reading

• SUSE CVE Page

• Bugzilla Report #1243450

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FAQ Section

Q: Is this vulnerability actively exploited?

A: No known exploits as of July 2025, but patching is recommended.

Q: Does this affect non-SUSE distributions?

A: Only if using SUSE-backported jq packages. Upstream jq 1.7+ includes fixes.