CVE-2017-12800 : What You Need to Know
Learn about CVE-2017-12800, a vulnerability in libebml2 through a crafted mkv file, causing denial of service and application crash. Find mitigation steps and prevention measures.
CVE-2017-12800 was published on November 9, 2017, and involves a vulnerability in libebml2 that can be exploited through a crafted mkv file, leading to a denial of service due to a null pointer dereference and application crash.
Understanding CVE-2017-12800
This CVE entry highlights a specific vulnerability in libebml2 that can be triggered remotely, impacting the application's stability and potentially causing a crash.
What is CVE-2017-12800?
The vulnerability in the EBML_FindNextElement function in ebmlmain.c from libebml2 allows attackers to exploit a crafted mkv file to execute a denial of service attack, resulting in a null pointer dereference and application crash.
The Impact of CVE-2017-12800
The exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to a significant impact, including:
- Denial of service condition
- Null pointer dereference
- Application crash
Technical Details of CVE-2017-12800
This section delves into the technical aspects of the CVE, providing insight into the vulnerability and its implications.
Vulnerability Description
The EBML_FindNextElement function in ebmlmain.c in libebml2 through 2012-08-26 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a crafted mkv file.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Affected Product: N/A
- Affected Vendor: N/A
- Affected Version: N/A
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability can be exploited remotely by manipulating a specially crafted mkv file to trigger the null pointer dereference and application crash.
Mitigation and Prevention
To address CVE-2017-12800, it is crucial to implement immediate steps and adopt long-term security practices to enhance system resilience.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Disable the processing of untrusted mkv files
- Apply vendor-supplied patches or updates
- Monitor security mailing lists for relevant advisories
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update software and libraries
- Conduct security assessments and audits
- Implement network segmentation and access controls
Patching and Updates
- Check for patches or updates from the software vendor
- Apply security patches promptly to mitigate the vulnerability