Overview
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) system has recently identified a new vulnerability, CVE-2023-39317, that poses a significant risk to systems using the GTKWave software, specifically version 3.3.115. The vulnerability arises from multiple integer overflow vulnerabilities within the LXT2 num_dict_entries functionality of GTKWave. If exploited, it can lead to arbitrary code execution and potentially compromise the system or result in data leakage.
This vulnerability is of considerable concern due to the potential for arbitrary code execution, which could allow an attacker full control over the affected system. It is essential for system administrators and security professionals to understand the nature of this vulnerability, its potential impact, and the steps necessary to mitigate the risks associated with it.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2023-39317
Severity: High (7.8 CVSS score)
Attack Vector: Local file
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Impact: System compromise and potential data leakage
Affected Products
No phone number, email, or personal info required.
Product | Affected Versions
GTKWave | 3.3.115
How the Exploit Works
An attacker would craft a malicious .lxt2 file exploiting the integer overflow vulnerabilities in the LXT2 num_dict_entries functionality. The vulnerability occurs when allocating the `string_lens` array, which, if overflowed, can lead to an arbitrary code execution. To trigger the vulnerability, the victim would need to open this malicious file, leading to the execution of the attacker’s code.
Conceptual Example Code
While the below pseudocode example doesn’t represent an actual exploit, it conceptually illustrates how an attacker might craft a malicious .lxt2 file to exploit the vulnerability:
# Pseudocode for a potential exploit
def create_malicious_lxt2():
overflow_value = 2**32 # Value to cause integer overflow
malicious_file = open("exploit.lxt2", "w")
# Craft the malicious .lxt2 file
for _ in range(overflow_value):
malicious_file.write('a')
malicious_file.close()
create_malicious_lxt2()In this example, the attacker crafts a .lxt2 file that contains a string of length that would overflow the integer size limit when allocating the `string_lens` array, leading to arbitrary code execution.
Mitigation
Users and administrators are advised to apply the vendor’s 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 measure by detecting and blocking attempts to exploit this vulnerability.