CVE-2018-11591 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Espruino before version 1.98 was vulnerable to a denial-of-service attack due to a NULL pointer dereference during syntax parsing. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by using a specially crafted input file, leading to an application crash. A fix was implemented to address this issue.

Understanding CVE-2018-11591

Espruino versions prior to 1.98 were susceptible to a vulnerability that could be exploited to trigger a denial-of-service attack.

What is CVE-2018-11591?

Espruino before version 1.98 allowed attackers to cause a denial of service by exploiting a NULL pointer dereference during syntax parsing.

The Impact of CVE-2018-11591

Attackers could initiate a denial-of-service attack, resulting in an application crash.
The vulnerability could be triggered by a specifically crafted input file.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-11591

Espruino vulnerability details and affected systems.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allowed a NULL pointer dereference during syntax parsing.
A validation mechanism was added in the jsvar.c file to handle debug trace print statements.

Affected Systems and Versions

Espruino versions prior to 1.98.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers could exploit the vulnerability by using a specially crafted input file.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to mitigate and prevent the CVE-2018-11591 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Espruino to version 1.98 or newer to prevent exploitation.
Be cautious when handling input files to avoid triggering the vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software to the latest versions to patch known vulnerabilities.
Implement input validation mechanisms to prevent malicious input.

Patching and Updates

Ensure all systems running Espruino are updated to version 1.98 or above to address the vulnerability.