CVE-2019-9705 : What You Need to Know
Learn about CVE-2019-9705, a vulnerability in Vixie Cron that enables local users to trigger a denial of service attack by creating a crontab file with excessive lines, leading to high memory usage. Find mitigation steps and long-term security practices here.
Vixie Cron before the 3.0pl1-133 Debian package allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via a large crontab file because an unlimited number of lines are accepted.
Understanding CVE-2019-9705
The Debian package version 3.0pl1-133 of Vixie Cron contains a vulnerability that can be exploited by local users to trigger a denial of service attack.
What is CVE-2019-9705?
This CVE refers to a vulnerability in Vixie Cron that allows local users to cause a denial of service attack by creating a crontab file with an excessive number of lines, leading to high memory usage.
The Impact of CVE-2019-9705
The vulnerability can be exploited by local users to disrupt the normal operation of the affected system, potentially leading to system instability and unavailability.
Technical Details of CVE-2019-9705
Vixie Cron before the 3.0pl1-133 Debian package allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via a large crontab file because an unlimited number of lines are accepted.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability in Vixie Cron allows local users to trigger a denial of service attack by creating a crontab file with a large number of lines, resulting in excessive memory usage.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: N/A
- Vendor: N/A
- Version: N/A
Exploitation Mechanism
Local users can exploit this vulnerability by creating a crontab file with an excessive number of lines, causing the system to consume excessive memory.
Mitigation and Prevention
It is crucial to take immediate steps to mitigate the impact of CVE-2019-9705 and implement long-term security practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Monitor system resources for any unusual memory consumption.
- Limit the number of lines in crontab files to prevent excessive memory usage.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update and patch the Vixie Cron software to address known vulnerabilities.
- Implement least privilege access to restrict users' ability to create crontab files.
Patching and Updates
- Apply the latest security updates and patches provided by the software vendor to address the vulnerability in Vixie Cron.