CVE-2017-17846 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
CVE-2017-17846 refers to a Denial of Service vulnerability in Enigmail versions 1.9.9 and earlier due to the misuse of regular expressions. Learn about the impact, affected systems, exploitation, and mitigation steps.
A vulnerability was found in Enigmail version 1.9.9 and earlier, allowing for a Denial of Service attack due to the misuse of regular expressions.
Understanding CVE-2017-17846
What is CVE-2017-17846?
This CVE refers to a vulnerability in Enigmail versions 1.9.9 and earlier that can be exploited to cause a Denial of Service attack. The issue arises from the misuse of regular expressions in matching strings of any length.
The Impact of CVE-2017-17846
The vulnerability can lead to a Denial of Service attack, potentially disrupting the availability of the affected systems and services.
Technical Details of CVE-2017-17846
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability in Enigmail versions 1.9.9 and earlier allows for a Denial of Service attack due to the misuse of regular expressions in matching strings of any length.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: Enigmail
- Vendor: N/A
- Versions affected: 1.9.9 and earlier
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability can be exploited by manipulating regular expressions to cause the application to match arbitrarily long strings, leading to a Denial of Service condition.
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update Enigmail to the latest version to patch the vulnerability.
- Monitor security advisories for any related updates or patches.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update software and applications to address known vulnerabilities.
- Implement proper input validation mechanisms to prevent exploitation of regular expressions.
Patching and Updates
- Apply security patches provided by Enigmail promptly to mitigate the vulnerability.