CVE-2020-6156 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A heap overflow vulnerability exists in Pixar OpenUSD 20.05 when parsing compressed sections in binary USD files, potentially impacting Apple macOS Catalina 10.15.3.

Understanding CVE-2020-6156

This CVE involves a heap overflow vulnerability in Pixar OpenUSD 20.05, posing a significant risk to affected systems.

What is CVE-2020-6156?

The vulnerability arises when the software processes compressed sections in binary USD files, requiring the victim to open a malicious file.

The Impact of CVE-2020-6156

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 8.8 (High), with severe impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-6156

This section delves into the specific technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

Pixar OpenUSD 20.05 is susceptible to a heap overflow when handling compressed sections in binary USD files.

Affected Systems and Versions

Products: Pixar
Versions: Pixar OpenUSD 20.05, Apple macOS Catalina 10.15.3

Exploitation Mechanism

To exploit, an attacker must provide a malformed file in an instance USDC file format path element token index.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-6156 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Avoid opening files from untrusted sources.
Implement file integrity checks.
Update software to patched versions.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and security patches.
Conduct security training for users on file handling best practices.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by Pixar to address the vulnerability.