CVE-2019-9026 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

CVE-2019-9026 was published on February 23, 2019, and affects the matio (MAT File I/O Library) version 1.5.13. The vulnerability involves a heap-based buffer overflow in libmatio.a, specifically in the function InflateVarName() in inflate.c when called from ReadNextCell in mat5.c.

Understanding CVE-2019-9026

This CVE entry identifies a critical security issue in the matio library version 1.5.13.

What is CVE-2019-9026?

The vulnerability in CVE-2019-9026 is a heap-based buffer overflow in the matio library's libmatio.a, triggered by the function InflateVarName() in inflate.c.

The Impact of CVE-2019-9026

The heap-based buffer overflow can potentially lead to arbitrary code execution or denial of service attacks by malicious actors exploiting the vulnerability.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-9026

This section delves into the technical aspects of the CVE-2019-9026 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue in libmatio.a in matio 1.5.13 arises from a heap-based buffer overflow in the function InflateVarName() in inflate.c when called from ReadNextCell in mat5.c.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Version: 1.5.13 (affected)

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited through crafted MAT files that trigger the heap-based buffer overflow in the specified functions.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-9026 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update to a patched version of matio to mitigate the vulnerability.
Avoid opening untrusted MAT files to prevent potential exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and libraries to address security vulnerabilities.
Implement code reviews and security testing to identify and remediate similar issues.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely application of security patches and updates provided by the matio library maintainers.