CVE-2019-15163 : Security Advisory and Response

A vulnerability in the libpcap version prior to 1.9.1 can lead to a denial of service due to a NULL pointer dereference in the rpcapd/daemon.c file.

Understanding CVE-2019-15163

This CVE involves a vulnerability in libpcap that can result in a denial of service attack.

What is CVE-2019-15163?

The vulnerability in the rpcapd/daemon.c file of libpcap before version 1.9.1 can be exploited to cause a crash of the daemon by triggering a NULL pointer dereference when a crypt() call fails.

The Impact of CVE-2019-15163

Exploiting this vulnerability can lead to a denial of service, specifically causing a crash of the daemon due to a NULL pointer dereference when a crypt() call fails.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-15163

This section provides technical details about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The rpcapd/daemon.c in libpcap before 1.9.1 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and daemon crash) if a crypt() call fails.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: N/A
Vendor: N/A
Versions affected: N/A

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by triggering a NULL pointer dereference in the rpcapd/daemon.c file when a crypt() call fails.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to address and prevent the CVE-2019-15163 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update libpcap to version 1.9.1 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor vendor advisories for patches and updates.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and libraries to the latest versions.
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by the vendor to address the vulnerability.