CVE-2018-14621 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability related to an infinite loop has been discovered in libtirpc, which exists prior to version 1.0.2-rc2. This vulnerability arises when the server exhausts its file descriptors due to the transition from using select to poll. As a result, the server gets stuck in an infinite loop, leading to excessive consumption of CPU resources and causing denial of service to other clients until the server is restarted.

Understanding CVE-2018-14621

This CVE-2018-14621 entry pertains to a vulnerability in libtirpc that can result in a denial of service due to an infinite loop issue.

What is CVE-2018-14621?

CVE-2018-14621 is a vulnerability in libtirpc that causes a server to enter an infinite loop, consuming CPU resources and denying service to clients until the server is restarted.

The Impact of CVE-2018-14621

The impact of this vulnerability includes excessive consumption of CPU resources and denial of service to clients until the server is restarted.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-14621

This section covers the technical aspects of the CVE-2018-14621 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in libtirpc before version 1.0.2-rc2 leads to an infinite loop when the server exhausts its file descriptors during the transition from select to poll.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: libtirpc
Vendor: [UNKNOWN]
Versions affected: 1.0.2-rc2

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability is exploited by causing the server to exhaust its file descriptors, triggering an infinite loop that consumes CPU resources.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2018-14621 involves taking immediate steps and implementing long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update libtirpc to version 1.0.2-rc2 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor server resources to detect any abnormal CPU consumption.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and libraries to patch known vulnerabilities.
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential denial of service attacks.
Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities.
Educate staff on best security practices to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.
Consider implementing intrusion detection and prevention systems to monitor and block malicious activities.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that all systems running libtirpc are updated to version 1.0.2-rc2 or later to address the vulnerability.