CVE-2018-20991 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Discover the impact of CVE-2018-20991, a vulnerability in the smallvec crate for Rust. Learn about the double free issue and how to mitigate the risk with version updates and security practices.
A problem has been found in the smallvec crate prior to version 0.6.3 for Rust. The Iterator implementation does not handle destructors correctly, resulting in a double free.
Understanding CVE-2018-20991
An issue was discovered in the smallvec crate before 0.6.3 for Rust. The Iterator implementation mishandles destructors, leading to a double free.
What is CVE-2018-20991?
CVE-2018-20991 is a vulnerability in the smallvec crate for Rust where the Iterator implementation does not manage destructors properly, causing a double free scenario.
The Impact of CVE-2018-20991
This vulnerability could be exploited to cause a double free condition, potentially leading to memory corruption and crashes in Rust applications.
Technical Details of CVE-2018-20991
The following technical details outline the specifics of CVE-2018-20991.
Vulnerability Description
The smallvec crate before version 0.6.3 for Rust mishandles destructors in its Iterator implementation, resulting in a double free vulnerability.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Affected Product: smallvec crate
- Affected Version: < 0.6.3 for Rust
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker to trigger a double free scenario by manipulating the Iterator implementation in the smallvec crate.
Mitigation and Prevention
To address CVE-2018-20991 and enhance security, consider the following mitigation strategies.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Upgrade to version 0.6.3 or newer of the smallvec crate to mitigate the vulnerability.
- Monitor for any unusual behavior in Rust applications that could indicate exploitation of the double free issue.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update dependencies in Rust projects to ensure the latest security patches are applied.
- Conduct thorough code reviews to identify and address potential memory management issues.
Patching and Updates
Ensure that all Rust projects using the smallvec crate are updated to version 0.6.3 or above to prevent the exploitation of the double free vulnerability.