CVE-2018-20591 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A heap-based buffer over-read vulnerability was discovered in the decompileJUMP function of libming v0.4.8, allowing for denial-of-service attacks. This issue was made public on December 30, 2018.

Understanding CVE-2018-20591

This CVE involves a vulnerability in the decompileJUMP function of libming v0.4.8 that can be exploited to trigger segmentation faults, leading to denial-of-service conditions.

What is CVE-2018-20591?

The vulnerability in the decompileJUMP function of libming v0.4.8 allows attackers to read beyond the allocated memory space, potentially causing segmentation faults and denial-of-service.

The Impact of CVE-2018-20591

Exploiting this vulnerability can result in denial-of-service conditions, affecting the availability of systems utilizing the vulnerable libming library.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-20591

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue lies in the decompileJUMP function of libming v0.4.8, where a carefully crafted input can trigger segmentation faults, leading to denial-of-service.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Systems: Not specified
Affected Versions: libming v0.4.8

Exploitation Mechanism

By providing a specifically designed input, attackers can exploit the decompileJUMP function to cause segmentation faults and initiate denial-of-service attacks.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-20591, consider the following mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches or updates provided by the vendor
Implement input validation mechanisms to prevent crafted inputs

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and libraries to patched versions
Conduct security assessments and code reviews to identify similar vulnerabilities

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely application of patches and updates released by libming to address the vulnerability.