CVE-2017-15037 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

A race condition in FreeBSD versions up to 11.1 can lead to an out-of-bounds read due to a missing '\0' character in t2p->t_name strings.

Understanding CVE-2017-15037

This CVE involves a vulnerability in the smb_strdupin function in sys/netsmb/smb_subr.c in FreeBSD versions up to 11.1.

What is CVE-2017-15037?

This CVE describes a race condition in FreeBSD that can result in an out-of-bounds read due to the absence of a final '\0' character in certain strings.

The Impact of CVE-2017-15037

The vulnerability can potentially be exploited to read out-of-bounds memory, leading to a security risk for affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-15037

The technical aspects of this CVE are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

A race condition in the smb_strdupin function in FreeBSD versions up to 11.1 can cause t2p->t_name strings to lack a final '\0' character, resulting in an out-of-bounds read.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected systems: FreeBSD versions up to 11.1
Affected component: smb_strdupin function in sys/netsmb/smb_subr.c

Exploitation Mechanism

The absence of a terminating '\0' character in certain strings can be exploited to trigger an out-of-bounds read vulnerability.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2017-15037, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches provided by FreeBSD to fix the vulnerability
Monitor official FreeBSD channels for security advisories

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update FreeBSD systems to the latest versions
Implement secure coding practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates from FreeBSD
Apply patches promptly to mitigate the risk of exploitation