CVE-2018-0500 : What You Need to Know

CVE-2018-0500 was published on July 11, 2018, and affects the 'curl' package before version 7.61.0. The vulnerability involves a heap-based buffer overflow in the Curl_smtp_escape_eob function within the lib/smtp.c file.

Understanding CVE-2018-0500

This CVE entry describes a specific vulnerability in the curl package that could be exploited by an attacker to trigger a buffer overflow when manipulating data transmitted via SMTP under certain conditions.

What is CVE-2018-0500?

The vulnerability in the Curl_smtp_escape_eob function in curl versions 7.54.1 to 7.60.0 allows an attacker to potentially exploit a heap-based buffer overflow by manipulating data transmitted via SMTP with specific settings.

The Impact of CVE-2018-0500

The buffer overflow vulnerability in curl versions 7.54.1 to 7.60.0 could be exploited by an attacker who can control the data transmitted over SMTP, potentially leading to unauthorized access or denial of service.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-0500

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The Curl_smtp_escape_eob function in lib/smtp.c in curl versions 7.54.1 to 7.60.0 has a heap-based buffer overflow that could be exploited by an attacker manipulating SMTP data.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: curl before 7.61.0
Vendor: n/a
Versions: curl before 7.61.0

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker who can control the data transmitted via SMTP using specific settings like nonstandard --limit-rate arguments or CURLOPT_BUFFERSIZE values.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2018-0500 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update curl to version 7.61.0 or newer to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activities related to SMTP.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and apply security patches promptly.
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that all systems running affected versions of curl are patched with the latest updates to prevent exploitation of the vulnerability.