CVE-2023-50471 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A segmentation violation vulnerability was found in cJSON v1.7.16, specifically in the function cJSON_InsertItemInArray at cJSON.c.

Understanding CVE-2023-50471

This CVE-2023-50471 refers to a security flaw in cJSON v1.7.16 that can lead to a segmentation violation due to a specific function in the cJSON.c file.

What is CVE-2023-50471?

The CVE-2023-50471 vulnerability occurs in the cJSON library's function cJSON_InsertItemInArray, which can result in a segmentation violation.

The Impact of CVE-2023-50471

Exploitation of this vulnerability could potentially lead to a denial of service condition or arbitrary code execution in the context of the application using the cJSON library.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-50471

This section delves deeper into the technical aspects of the CVE-2023-50471 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability lies in cJSON v1.7.16's cJSON_InsertItemInArray function located at cJSON.c, where an incorrect input can trigger a segmentation violation.

Affected Systems and Versions

All systems using cJSON v1.7.16 are affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by providing crafted input to the cJSON_InsertItemInArray function, causing a segmentation violation.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2023-50471 requires immediate action and long-term security measures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update cJSON library to a patched version that addresses the segmentation violation.
Implement input validation mechanisms to prevent malformed data from reaching sensitive functions.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software libraries and components to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
Conduct security assessments and code reviews to identify and address potential security flaws.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories and update cJSON library promptly to the latest secure version to prevent exploitation of CVE-2023-50471.