CVE-2023-37923 : Security Advisory and Response

Understanding CVE-2023-37923

Multiple arbitrary write vulnerabilities exist in the VCD sorted bsearch functionality of GTKWave 3.3.115. These vulnerabilities can be triggered by a specially crafted .vcd file, leading to arbitrary code execution when a victim opens the malicious file. This vulnerability involves arbitrary write when triggered via the vcd2lxt conversion utility.

What is CVE-2023-37923?

CVE-2023-37923 involves multiple arbitrary write vulnerabilities in the GTKWave 3.3.115, which can result in arbitrary code execution by exploiting the VCD sorted bsearch functionality.

The Impact of CVE-2023-37923

The impact of CVE-2023-37923 is rated as HIGH, with confidentiality, integrity, and availability being severely impacted. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code on the victim's system.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-37923

The technical details of CVE-2023-37923 include:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability is categorized as CWE-118: Incorrect Access of Indexable Resource ('Range Error').

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: GTKWave
Product: GTKWave
Versions: 3.3.115

Exploitation Mechanism

A specially crafted .vcd file is required to trigger these vulnerabilities, leading to arbitrary code execution through the VCD sorted bsearch functionality.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-37923, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Avoid opening suspicious or unknown .vcd files.
Implement restrictions on file execution permissions.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update GTKWave to the latest version to patch vulnerabilities.
Conduct security training to educate users on identifying malicious files.

Patching and Updates

Refer to the vendor's security advisories for patches and updates to address CVE-2023-37923.