CVE-2020-28631 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

CVE-2020-28631, assigned by Talos, involves multiple code execution vulnerabilities in the Nef polygon-parsing functionality of CGAL libcgal CGAL-5.1.1. Attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities by providing specially crafted malformed files, leading to out-of-bounds reads and type confusion, potentially resulting in code execution.

Understanding CVE-2020-28631

This CVE identifies critical vulnerabilities in the CGAL libcgal library that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code.

What is CVE-2020-28631?

CVE-2020-28631 refers to multiple code execution vulnerabilities in CGAL libcgal CGAL-5.1.1 due to issues in the Nef polygon-parsing functionality.

The Impact of CVE-2020-28631

The vulnerabilities can result in out-of-bounds reads and type confusion, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution. The CVSS base score of 10 indicates a critical severity level.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-28631

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows attackers to trigger out-of-bounds reads and type confusion by providing specially crafted files.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: CGAL Project
Product: libcgal
Affected Version: CGAL-5.1.1

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the vulnerabilities by providing malicious input, triggering the out-of-bounds read and type confusion.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-28631 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches and updates provided by the vendor promptly.
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct regular security assessments and code reviews.
Educate users and developers on secure coding practices.
Keep software and libraries up to date to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Employ intrusion detection and prevention systems.
Consider implementing application whitelisting to control executable code.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that the affected systems are updated with the latest patches and security updates to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2020-28631.