CVE-2019-17041 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability has been found in Rsyslog v8.1908.0 that leads to a heap overflow issue within the parser used for AIX log messages.

Understanding CVE-2019-17041

This CVE involves a heap overflow vulnerability in Rsyslog v8.1908.0, affecting the parser for AIX log messages.

What is CVE-2019-17041?

The vulnerability in Rsyslog v8.1908.0 arises from a heap overflow issue within the parser designed for AIX log messages. The parser fails to handle strings that do not meet the expected constraints, leading to a heap overflow.

The Impact of CVE-2019-17041

The vulnerability allows attackers to trigger a heap overflow by exploiting the parser for AIX log messages, potentially leading to a denial of service or arbitrary code execution.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-17041

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue occurs in the file pmaixforwardedfrom.c within the contrib/pmaixforwardedfrom directory of Rsyslog v8.1908.0. The parser fails to handle strings that do not match the expected log message delimiters, resulting in a heap overflow.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Rsyslog v8.1908.0
Vendor: N/A
Versions: N/A

Exploitation Mechanism

The parser for AIX log messages in Rsyslog v8.1908.0 contains a heap overflow vulnerability.
Attackers can exploit this by providing strings that do not conform to the expected delimiters, leading to a heap overflow.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-17041 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Rsyslog to a patched version that addresses the heap overflow vulnerability.
Monitor system logs for any suspicious activities that could indicate exploitation of the vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch all software components to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the impact of potential attacks.

Patching and Updates

Apply the latest security patches provided by Rsyslog to mitigate the heap overflow vulnerability in the AIX log message parser.