CVE-2019-20176 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability in the listdir function in ls.c was found in Pure-FTPd 1.0.49, potentially leading to stack exhaustion.

Understanding CVE-2019-20176

In Pure-FTPd 1.0.49, a stack exhaustion issue was discovered in the listdir function in ls.c.

What is CVE-2019-20176?

This CVE identifies a vulnerability in Pure-FTPd 1.0.49 that could result in stack exhaustion due to an issue in the listdir function.

The Impact of CVE-2019-20176

The vulnerability could allow attackers to potentially exhaust the stack, leading to a denial of service or other malicious activities.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-20176

Pure-FTPd 1.0.49 is affected by a stack exhaustion issue in the listdir function in ls.c.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Pure-FTPd 1.0.49 arises from a flaw in the listdir function, which could be exploited to exhaust the stack.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Pure-FTPd 1.0.49
Vendor: N/A
Version: N/A

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted requests to the affected Pure-FTPd server, potentially causing stack exhaustion.

Mitigation and Prevention

It is crucial to take immediate steps to address and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2019-20176.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply security patches provided by the vendor promptly.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity targeting FTP services.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.
Conduct regular security assessments and audits to identify and address security weaknesses.
Educate users and administrators about secure FTP practices.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that Pure-FTPd is updated to a patched version that addresses the stack exhaustion vulnerability.