CVE-2019-11459 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

The functions tiff_document_render() and tiff_document_get_thumbnail() in the GNOME Evince TIFF document backend up to version 3.32.0 had a vulnerability that could lead to accessing uninitialized memory when processing specific TIFF image files.

Understanding CVE-2019-11459

This CVE involves a security issue in the GNOME Evince software related to handling errors from TIFFReadRGBAImageOriented.

What is CVE-2019-11459?

The vulnerability in the GNOME Evince TIFF document backend could allow attackers to access uninitialized memory by exploiting specific TIFF image files.

The Impact of CVE-2019-11459

The vulnerability could potentially be exploited by malicious actors to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service by crashing the application.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-11459

This section provides more technical insights into the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The functions tiff_document_render() and tiff_document_get_thumbnail() in GNOME Evince up to version 3.32.0 did not handle errors from TIFFReadRGBAImageOriented correctly, leading to uninitialized memory access.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: GNOME Evince
Vendor: GNOME
Versions affected: Up to version 3.32.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious TIFF image files that trigger the uninitialized memory access when processed by the affected functions.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-11459 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update GNOME Evince to version 3.32.0 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor for any unusual activities on systems that could indicate exploitation of this vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and apply security patches to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Implement proper input validation and error handling mechanisms in software development to reduce the risk of memory-related issues.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that all systems running GNOME Evince are regularly updated with the latest security patches to address vulnerabilities like CVE-2019-11459.