CVE-2018-12698 : Security Advisory and Response
Learn about CVE-2018-12698 affecting GNU libiberty in GNU Binutils 2.30, leading to memory consumption issues. Find mitigation steps and long-term security practices here.
A vulnerability in the GNU libiberty library included in GNU Binutils 2.30 can lead to an out-of-memory situation due to excessive memory consumption during specific operations.
Understanding CVE-2018-12698
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-12698 affects the cplus-dem.c file in the GNU libiberty library, potentially causing memory exhaustion when certain functions are executed.
What is CVE-2018-12698?
The cplus-dem.c file in GNU libiberty, part of GNU Binutils 2.30, contains a function called demangle_template. This function can be exploited by attackers to trigger a memory consumption issue, resulting in an out-of-memory (OOM) situation, particularly when the XNEWVEC call is used to create an array for storing template argument values. The vulnerability manifests when running the objdump command.
The Impact of CVE-2018-12698
The vulnerability can be exploited by malicious actors to exhaust system memory, potentially leading to denial of service (DoS) conditions or system instability.
Technical Details of CVE-2018-12698
The technical aspects of the CVE-2018-12698 vulnerability are as follows:
Vulnerability Description
The demangle_template function in cplus-dem.c allows attackers to induce excessive memory consumption during the XNEWVEC call, causing an OOM scenario.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Affected library: GNU libiberty
- Affected version: GNU Binutils 2.30
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers can exploit the demangle_template function to trigger the memory consumption issue, leading to an OOM situation during the XNEWVEC call.
Mitigation and Prevention
To address CVE-2018-12698, consider the following mitigation strategies:
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply patches provided by the software vendor to fix the vulnerability.
- Monitor system resources for unusual memory consumption patterns.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update software and libraries to ensure the latest security patches are in place.
- Implement proper input validation and security checks in software development to prevent memory-related vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
- Stay informed about security advisories from software vendors and promptly apply recommended patches to mitigate known vulnerabilities.