Learn about CVE-2017-17440 affecting GNU Libextractor 1.6. Remote attackers can exploit a vulnerability to cause a denial of service by triggering a NULL pointer dereference in the application.
CVE-2017-17440 was published on December 6, 2017, and affects GNU Libextractor 1.6. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service by exploiting a specific function in the application.
Understanding CVE-2017-17440
This CVE entry describes a vulnerability in GNU Libextractor 1.6 that can be exploited by remote attackers to disrupt the application and trigger a denial of service.
What is CVE-2017-17440?
Remote attackers can exploit a vulnerability in GNU Libextractor 1.6 to disrupt the application and cause a denial of service. By providing a maliciously crafted file, such as a GIF, IT, NSFE, S3M, SID, or XM file, the attacker can trigger a NULL pointer dereference and crash the application. This vulnerability is present in the EXTRACTOR_xm_extract_method function located in plugins/xm_extractor.c.
The Impact of CVE-2017-17440
The vulnerability can lead to a denial of service condition, potentially causing the application to crash and become unresponsive.
Technical Details of CVE-2017-17440
CVE-2017-17440 affects GNU Libextractor 1.6 and has the following technical details:
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability allows remote attackers to exploit a specific function in GNU Libextractor 1.6, leading to a NULL pointer dereference and application crash.
Affected Systems and Versions
Exploitation Mechanism
Mitigation and Prevention
To address CVE-2017-17440, consider the following mitigation strategies:
Immediate Steps to Take
Long-Term Security Practices
Patching and Updates