CVE-2019-1010204 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

GNU binutils gold v1.11-v1.16 (GNU binutils v2.21-v2.31.1) is affected by multiple vulnerabilities, including improper input validation, signed/unsigned comparison, and out-of-bounds read, leading to denial of service attacks.

Understanding CVE-2019-1010204

What is CVE-2019-1010204?

CVE-2019-1010204 is a vulnerability affecting GNU binutils gold v1.11-v1.16 and GNU binutils v2.21-v2.31.1, exposing systems to denial of service risks.

The Impact of CVE-2019-1010204

The vulnerabilities in CVE-2019-1010204 can result in denial of service attacks due to improper input validation, signed/unsigned comparison, and out-of-bounds read issues.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-1010204

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerabilities in GNU binutils gold v1.11-v1.16 and GNU binutils v2.21-v2.31.1 involve improper input validation, signed/unsigned comparison, and out-of-bounds read. Specific components affected are gold/fileread.cc:497 and elfcpp/elfcpp_file.h:644.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: GNU binutils gold
Vendor: GNU binutils
Versions: gold v1.11-v1.16 (GNU binutils v2.21-v2.31.1)

Exploitation Mechanism

To exploit these vulnerabilities, an attacker needs to open an ELF file with an invalid e_shoff header field.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches provided by the vendor promptly.
Monitor vendor advisories for updates and security patches.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and systems to the latest versions.
Implement proper input validation mechanisms in software development.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of security patches and updates from GNU binutils.