CVE-2019-20845 : What You Need to Know

A vulnerability has been identified in Mattermost Server prior to version 5.18.0, allowing attackers to exploit a denial of service attack by overwhelming the system's memory through a significant Slack import.

Understanding CVE-2019-20845

This CVE refers to a specific vulnerability in Mattermost Server that could lead to a denial of service attack.

What is CVE-2019-20845?

CVE-2019-20845 is a security vulnerability found in Mattermost Server versions before 5.18.0. It enables attackers to execute a denial of service attack by causing excessive memory consumption through a large Slack import.

The Impact of CVE-2019-20845

The exploitation of this vulnerability can result in a system becoming unresponsive or crashing due to memory exhaustion, potentially disrupting services and causing downtime.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-20845

This section provides more technical insights into the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows attackers to trigger a denial of service attack by flooding the system's memory with a significant Slack import, leading to memory exhaustion.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected System: Mattermost Server
Affected Versions: Versions prior to 5.18.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by importing a large amount of data from Slack, causing the system to consume excessive memory and potentially crash.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-20845 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Mattermost Server to version 5.18.0 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor system memory usage for any unusual spikes that could indicate a potential attack.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and apply security patches to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Implement network and system monitoring to detect and respond to abnormal activities promptly.

Patching and Updates

Apply the latest patches and updates provided by Mattermost to address security issues and enhance system resilience.