CVE-2017-6414 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This CVE-2017-6414 article provides insights into a memory leak vulnerability in the libcacard library, impacting the host system's memory consumption.

Understanding CVE-2017-6414

What is CVE-2017-6414?

The vulnerability lies in the vcard_apdu_new function in the card_7816.c file of the libcacard library before version 2.5.3, leading to a memory leak issue. It can be exploited by local guest OS users to disrupt the host system by consuming excessive memory.

The Impact of CVE-2017-6414

The vulnerability allows local guest OS users to cause a denial of service on the host system by consuming its memory excessively. The issue arises from the allocation of a new APDU object.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-6414

Vulnerability Description

The vcard_apdu_new function in libcacard before version 2.5.3 suffers from a memory leak, enabling local guest OS users to trigger a denial of service attack on the host system.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions affected: Not applicable

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability is exploited by local guest OS users through the allocation of a new APDU object, leading to excessive memory consumption on the host system.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update libcacard to version 2.5.3 or later to mitigate the memory leak vulnerability.
Monitor memory usage on the host system to detect any abnormal spikes.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement regular security audits to identify and address memory-related vulnerabilities.
Educate users on best practices to prevent memory-related denial of service attacks.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by libcacard to address the memory leak issue and enhance system security.