CVE-2018-16875 : What You Need to Know

CVE-2018-16875 was published on December 14, 2018, and affects versions 1.10.6 and 1.11.3 of the Go programming language. The vulnerability lies in the crypto/x509 package, potentially allowing attackers to exploit the system and cause denial of service for CPUs.

Understanding CVE-2018-16875

This CVE highlights a vulnerability in Go versions 1.10.6 and 1.11.3 that could lead to a denial of service attack.

What is CVE-2018-16875?

The vulnerability in the crypto/x509 package of Go versions 1.10.6 and 1.11.3 allows attackers to create malicious inputs that can result in a denial of service for CPUs. Both Go TLS servers accepting client certificates and TLS clients are at risk.

The Impact of CVE-2018-16875

The vulnerability poses a medium severity risk with a CVSS base score of 5.9. It has a high availability impact, making systems susceptible to denial of service attacks.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-16875

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue in the crypto/x509 package of Go versions 1.10.6 and 1.11.3 allows attackers to perform excessive work during chain verification, potentially leading to CPU denial of service.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: GoLang
Vendor: [UNKNOWN]
Versions Affected: 1.10.6, 1.11.3

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by crafting specific inputs that trigger excessive work during chain verification, impacting CPU performance.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2018-16875 involves immediate steps and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Go to versions 1.10.6 or 1.11.3 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor system performance for any signs of CPU denial of service attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Go and other software components to patch known vulnerabilities.
Implement network security measures to detect and prevent denial of service attacks.
Educate developers and administrators on secure coding practices.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of security patches and updates to keep systems protected from potential exploits.