CVE-2018-19876 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

In the cairo-ft-font.c file of the cairo 1.16.0 version, a memory freeing function incompatible with WebKit's fastMalloc can lead to crashes with an error message of "free(): invalid pointer".

Understanding CVE-2018-19876

This CVE involves a vulnerability in the memory management function of the cairo library, potentially causing application crashes.

What is CVE-2018-19876?

CVE-2018-19876 is a vulnerability in cairo 1.16.0, specifically in the cairo-ft-font.c file. The issue arises from a memory freeing function that is not compatible with WebKit's fastMalloc, resulting in possible application crashes.

The Impact of CVE-2018-19876

The vulnerability can lead to application crashes with an error message indicating an invalid pointer, impacting the stability and reliability of affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-19876

This section provides more in-depth technical insights into the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in cairo 1.16.0, specifically in cairo_ft_apply_variations() in cairo-ft-font.c, causes memory to be freed using a function incompatible with WebKit's fastMalloc, resulting in application crashes with an error message of "free(): invalid pointer".

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Version: cairo 1.16.0
Systems using cairo library with the mentioned version

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by triggering the specific conditions that lead to the incompatible memory freeing function, resulting in crashes.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2018-19876 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the cairo library to a patched version that addresses the memory management issue.
Monitor system logs for any signs of memory-related errors.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software libraries and dependencies to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Conduct thorough testing to ensure compatibility with different memory management functions.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by the cairo project to fix the memory management issue and prevent application crashes.