CVE-2020-8443 : Security Advisory and Response

OSSEC-HIDS 2.7 through 3.5.0 is vulnerable to an off-by-one heap-based buffer overflow in the server component responsible for log analysis.

Understanding CVE-2020-8443

In this section, we will delve into the details of CVE-2020-8443.

What is CVE-2020-8443?

CVE-2020-8443 is a vulnerability in OSSEC-HIDS 2.7 through 3.5.0 that allows for an off-by-one heap-based buffer overflow during the cleaning of crafted syslog messages.

The Impact of CVE-2020-8443

This vulnerability can be exploited by authenticated remote agents, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or a denial of service.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-8443

Let's explore the technical aspects of CVE-2020-8443.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability exists in the ossec-analysisd component of OSSEC-HIDS, triggered by malformed syslog messages.

Affected Systems and Versions

OSSEC-HIDS versions 2.7 through 3.5.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Crafted syslog messages received from authenticated remote agents
Delivered to the analysisd processing queue by ossec-remoted

Mitigation and Prevention

Learn how to mitigate and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2020-8443.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update OSSEC-HIDS to a non-vulnerable version
Monitor network traffic for signs of exploitation

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch OSSEC-HIDS and related components
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by OSSEC-HIDS to address the buffer overflow vulnerability