CVE-2018-20459 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This CVE-2018-20459 article provides insights into a vulnerability in radare2 versions 3.1.3 and below that allows attackers to trigger a denial-of-service attack.

Understanding CVE-2018-20459

This CVE-2018-20459 vulnerability in radare2 affects the armass_assemble function in libr/asm/arch/arm/armass.c, potentially leading to a denial-of-service attack.

What is CVE-2018-20459?

The vulnerability in radare2 versions 3.1.3 and below allows attackers to cause a denial-of-service attack by exploiting an out-of-bounds read in the armass_assemble function.
Attackers can manipulate arm assembly input to trigger an application crash due to an incorrect index usage in armass.c.
The lack of proper length validation in armass64.c exacerbates the issue.

The Impact of CVE-2018-20459

The vulnerability enables attackers to execute a denial-of-service attack, specifically causing an application crash through an out-of-bounds read.
This vulnerability is similar to CVE-2018-20457.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-20459

This section delves into the technical aspects of the CVE-2018-20459 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability lies in the armass_assemble function in libr/asm/arch/arm/armass.c in radare2 versions 3.1.3 and below.
It allows attackers to trigger a denial-of-service attack by exploiting an out-of-bounds read.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions affected: All versions up to and including 3.1.3

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by manipulating arm assembly input, utilizing an incorrect index in armass.c.
The lack of proper length validation in armass64.c further facilitates the exploitation of this vulnerability.

Mitigation and Prevention

Learn how to mitigate and prevent the CVE-2018-20459 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update radare2 to a version beyond 3.1.3 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor official sources for patches or security updates.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and libraries to prevent vulnerabilities.
Conduct security assessments and audits to identify and address potential weaknesses.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by radare2 to address the vulnerability.