CVE-2018-7175 : What You Need to Know

A vulnerability was found in xpdf 4.00 that allows an attacker to trigger a denial of service through a null pointer dereference in the readCodestream function when utilizing a JPX image with zero components.

Understanding CVE-2018-7175

This CVE entry describes a specific vulnerability in xpdf 4.00 that can be exploited to cause a denial of service attack.

What is CVE-2018-7175?

CVE-2018-7175 is a vulnerability in xpdf 4.00 that arises from a null pointer dereference in the readCodestream function, enabling an attacker to execute a denial of service attack by using a JPX image with zero components.

The Impact of CVE-2018-7175

The impact of this vulnerability is the potential for an attacker to disrupt the normal operation of the xpdf software, leading to a denial of service condition.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-7175

This section provides technical details about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in xpdf 4.00 allows attackers to exploit a null pointer dereference in the readCodestream function, leading to a denial of service when a JPX image with zero components is used.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: xpdf 4.00
Vendor: N/A
Version: N/A

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by utilizing a JPX image with zero components to trigger the null pointer dereference in the readCodestream function.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2018-7175 involves taking immediate steps and implementing long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply vendor patches or updates if available.
Consider alternative software or mitigations if patches are not available.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and apply security patches.
Implement network security measures to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that xpdf software is kept up to date with the latest patches and versions to mitigate the vulnerability.