CVE-2018-17846 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

The html package in Go has a mishandling issue with specific elements, leading to an endless loop when the html.Parse function is called.

Understanding CVE-2018-17846

This CVE entry highlights a vulnerability in the html package in Go that can result in an infinite loop under certain conditions.

What is CVE-2018-17846?

The html package (also known as x/net/html) in Go mishandles certain elements, causing an infinite loop during an html.Parse call.

The Impact of CVE-2018-17846

The mishandling of elements <table><math><select><mi><select></table> can lead to an endless loop when the html.Parse function is invoked.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-17846

This section delves into the technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from the functions inSelectIM and inSelectInTableIM failing to adhere to a specification, resulting in an infinite loop.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions: All versions up to 2018-09-25

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by triggering the html.Parse function with specific elements, causing the functions to enter an endless loop.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protective measures and actions to mitigate the impact of CVE-2018-17846.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Go html package to a patched version if available.
Avoid parsing untrusted HTML content using the vulnerable html package.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor for updates and security advisories related to the Go programming language.
Implement secure coding practices to prevent similar mishandling issues in the future.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches or updates provided by the Go language maintainers to address the vulnerability.