CVE-2018-10774 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

CVE-2018-10774 was published on May 7, 2018, and involves a vulnerability in the libbibutils.a library used by bibutils up to version 6.2. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service by exploiting a read access violation in the isiin_keyword function.

Understanding CVE-2018-10774

This CVE entry highlights a specific vulnerability that can lead to a denial of service attack.

What is CVE-2018-10774?

The vulnerability in the isiin_keyword function within the libbibutils.a library allows remote attackers to trigger a denial of service, resulting in the targeted application crashing. The vulnerability has been demonstrated through the isi2xml application.

The Impact of CVE-2018-10774

Exploiting this vulnerability can lead to a denial of service, causing the affected application to crash, potentially disrupting services or operations relying on the application.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-10774

This section delves into the technical aspects of the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability lies in the isiin_keyword function within the libbibutils.a library, enabling remote attackers to exploit a read access violation, ultimately leading to a denial of service.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions affected: Up to bibutils version 6.2

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited remotely by attackers to trigger a denial of service, causing the targeted application to crash. The exploit has been demonstrated using the isi2xml application.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2018-10774 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update bibutils to a version beyond 6.2 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor for any unusual crashes or denial of service incidents that could indicate exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and libraries to patch known vulnerabilities.
Implement network security measures to prevent unauthorized access to vulnerable components.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely patching of software and libraries to address known vulnerabilities, reducing the risk of exploitation.