CVE-2023-35963 : Security Advisory and Response

A critical OS command injection vulnerability has been discovered in GTKWave 3.3.115, allowing arbitrary command execution through specially crafted wave files. This CVE poses a high risk to systems running the affected versions.

Understanding CVE-2023-35963

This section provides insights into the nature and impact of CVE-2023-35963.

What is CVE-2023-35963?

CVE-2023-35963 refers to multiple OS command injection vulnerabilities found in the decompression functionality of GTKWave 3.3.115. These vulnerabilities can be exploited via a specially crafted wave file leading to arbitrary command execution. The affected utility is

vcd2lxt2

.

The Impact of CVE-2023-35963

The impact of CVE-2023-35963 is severe as threat actors can exploit the vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems, potentially compromising data confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-35963

This section delves deeper into the technical aspects of CVE-2023-35963, including vulnerability description, affected systems, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of special elements in OS commands, specifically related to decompression in GTKWave 3.3.115.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: GTKWave
Product: GTKWave
Versions Affected: 3.3.115

Exploitation Mechanism

By enticing a victim to open a malicious wave file, threat actors can trigger the OS command injection vulnerability, potentially leading to arbitrary command execution.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines steps to mitigate the risks posed by CVE-2023-35963 and prevent potential exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users should refrain from opening untrusted or suspicious wave files, especially from unknown sources.
Consider applying vendor-supplied patches or updates to address the vulnerability promptly.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and security patches to protect against known vulnerabilities.
Implement security best practices, such as least privilege access and network segmentation, to reduce the attack surface.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories from GTKWave and apply patches as soon as they are available to mitigate the risk associated with CVE-2023-35963.