CVE-2019-13465 : What You Need to Know

A vulnerability has been identified in the ROS communications-related packages (ros_comm or ros-melodic-ros-comm) up to version 1.14.3, potentially leading to denial of service for components relying on communication functionalities.

Understanding CVE-2019-13465

What is CVE-2019-13465?

An issue in ROS communications packages up to version 1.14.3 can cause denial of service due to a problem in the remove() function within clients/roscpp/src/libros/spinner.cpp.

The Impact of CVE-2019-13465

The vulnerability may allow an attacker to disrupt communication-related functionalities, affecting the availability of services relying on ROS.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-13465

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises in the remove() function within clients/roscpp/src/libros/spinner.cpp
ROS_ASSERT_MSG requires ROS_ASSERT_ENABLED to function correctly

Affected Systems and Versions

ROS communications-related packages (ros_comm or ros-melodic-ros-comm) up to version 1.14.3

Exploitation Mechanism

If ROS_ASSERT_ENABLED is not defined, the iterator loop may exceed array boundaries, leading to denial of service

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Define ROS_ASSERT_ENABLED to prevent the vulnerability
Monitor and restrict network access to affected systems

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update ROS packages and dependencies
Implement network segmentation to contain potential attacks

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by ROS to address the vulnerability