CVE-2019-12972 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

A heap-based buffer over-read vulnerability has been identified in the Binary File Descriptor (BFD) library, also known as libbfd, which is distributed in GNU Binutils 2.32. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2019-12972.

Understanding CVE-2019-12972

This section provides an overview of the CVE-2019-12972 vulnerability.

What is CVE-2019-12972?

CVE-2019-12972 is a heap-based buffer over-read vulnerability found in the _bfd_doprnt function in bfd.c due to mishandling of the e_shstrndx section of type SHT_GROUP in the elfcode.h file.

The Impact of CVE-2019-12972

The vulnerability could allow an attacker to exploit the heap-based buffer over-read, potentially leading to information disclosure or denial of service.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-12972

This section delves into the technical aspects of CVE-2019-12972.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from mishandling the e_shstrndx section of type SHT_GROUP in the elfcode.h file, where a trailing '\0' character is omitted, causing a heap-based buffer over-read in the _bfd_doprnt function.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: n/a
Vendor: n/a
Versions: n/a

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by manipulating the e_shstrndx section of type SHT_GROUP in the elfcode.h file to trigger the heap-based buffer over-read.

Mitigation and Prevention

Learn how to mitigate and prevent the CVE-2019-12972 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply vendor patches or updates promptly.
Monitor vendor advisories for security patches.
Implement least privilege access controls.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct regular security assessments and audits.
Keep software and systems up to date.
Educate users on security best practices.
Employ intrusion detection and prevention systems.

Patching and Updates

Check for and apply the latest patches from the vendor.
Ensure Binutils 2.32 is updated to address the heap-based buffer over-read.