CVE-2018-14051 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

An endless loop exists in the function wav_read located in libwav.c in the library libwav up until 2017-04-20.

Understanding CVE-2018-14051

The function wav_read in libwav.c in libwav through 2017-04-20 has an infinite loop.

What is CVE-2018-14051?

CVE-2018-14051 is a vulnerability in the function wav_read within the libwav library that leads to an endless loop.

The Impact of CVE-2018-14051

This vulnerability can cause denial of service (DoS) by consuming excessive system resources and potentially crashing the affected application or system.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-14051

Vulnerability Description

The issue lies in an infinite loop within the wav_read function in libwav.c, allowing an attacker to trigger the loop and disrupt the normal operation of the software.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions: All versions of libwav up until 2017-04-20

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker sending a specially crafted input to the vulnerable function, triggering the infinite loop.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable or restrict access to the vulnerable function wav_read if not essential for operation.
Implement input validation to prevent malicious inputs from triggering the infinite loop.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software libraries and dependencies to patched versions.
Conduct security assessments and code reviews to identify and address similar vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches or updates provided by the library maintainers to fix the infinite loop issue in the wav_read function.