CVE-2023-37447: Critical Out-of-Bounds Read Vulnerabilities in GTKWave 3.3.115

Overview

The cybersecurity landscape is constantly evolving, with new vulnerabilities emerging that pose significant risks to systems and data. One such vulnerability, identified as CVE-2023-37447, affects GTKWave 3.3.115, a popular open-source waveform viewer. This vulnerability is critical, with a CVSS severity score of 7.8, and could potentially lead to system compromise and data leakage.
The vulnerability is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the VCD var definition section of GTKWave. It can be triggered by a specially crafted .vcd file, leading to arbitrary code execution. This poses a significant threat to any individual or organization using GTKWave, as the successful exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to severe consequences.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2023-37447
Severity: Critical (CVSS Score: 7.8)
Attack Vector: File-based (specially crafted .vcd file)
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required (the victim needs to open the malicious file)
Impact: Potential system compromise and data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

GTKWave | 3.3.115

How the Exploit Works

The exploit takes advantage of the out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities that exist in the VCD var definition section functionality of GTKWave. An attacker can create a specially crafted .vcd file that, when opened, triggers these vulnerabilities, leading to out-of-bounds write. This, in turn, allows for arbitrary code execution, effectively compromising the system and potentially leading to data leakage.

Conceptual Example Code

Below is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited. This pseudocode represents the structure of a malicious .vcd file:

$timescale 1ns $end
$scope module top $end
$var wire 1 ! clk $end
$var wire 64 # data $end
$var wire 1 $ enable $end
$upscope $end
$enddefinitions $end
#0
0!
1#
x$
$malicious_code_here

In the example above, `$malicious_code_here` represents the place where an attacker would insert malicious code to exploit the vulnerability. It’s important to note that this is a conceptual example and should not be used for malicious purposes.

Mitigation Guidance

To mitigate this vulnerability, users are advised to apply the vendor patch as soon as it is available. In the meantime, the use of a web application firewall (WAF) or intrusion detection system (IDS) can serve as a temporary mitigation, providing some layer of protection against potential exploits.