CVE-2018-6917 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

An integer overflow vulnerability in FreeBSD versions prior to 11.1-STABLE, 11.1-RELEASE-p9, 10.4-STABLE, 10.4-RELEASE-p8, and 10.3-RELEASE-p28 allows unprivileged users to access privileged kernel information by exploiting font parameter validation issues.

Understanding CVE-2018-6917

What is CVE-2018-6917?

This CVE identifies an integer overflow vulnerability in FreeBSD that arises from inadequate validation of user-supplied font parameters, enabling unauthorized access to kernel memory.

The Impact of CVE-2018-6917

The vulnerability could be exploited by unprivileged users to potentially gain access to privileged kernel information, compromising system security.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-6917

Vulnerability Description

The issue stems from insufficient validation of font parameters, leading to an integer overflow and the use of kernel memory as glyph data.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: FreeBSD
Vendor: FreeBSD
Affected Versions: All supported versions of FreeBSD

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability allows unprivileged users to exploit font parameter validation weaknesses to access privileged kernel data.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the necessary patches provided by FreeBSD to address the vulnerability.
Regularly monitor FreeBSD security advisories for updates and apply them promptly.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement the principle of least privilege to restrict user access rights.
Conduct regular security audits and assessments to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of security patches and updates released by FreeBSD to protect systems from known vulnerabilities.