CVE-2020-14150 : What You Need to Know

GNU Bison before 3.5.4 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) when used with untrusted input. This CVE highlights the potential risk associated with specific compiler/architecture combinations.

Understanding CVE-2020-14150

This CVE pertains to a vulnerability in GNU Bison that could lead to a denial of service attack.

What is CVE-2020-14150?

CVE-2020-14150 is a vulnerability in GNU Bison versions prior to 3.5.4 that can be exploited by attackers to crash the application. The risk is present when Bison processes untrusted input, potentially resulting in unsafe behavior with certain compiler and architecture configurations.

The Impact of CVE-2020-14150

The vulnerability allows attackers to trigger a denial of service, causing the application to crash. However, exploitation requires specific conditions related to input and compiler/architecture interactions.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-14150

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in GNU Bison before version 3.5.4 enables attackers to induce a denial of service by crashing the application. The risk arises when Bison processes untrusted input, potentially leading to unsafe behavior with specific compiler and architecture combinations.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Version: GNU Bison before 3.5.4
Systems: Any system using GNU Bison versions prior to 3.5.4

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers exploit the vulnerability by providing malicious input to GNU Bison, causing the application to crash.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-14150 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update GNU Bison to version 3.5.4 or newer to mitigate the vulnerability.
Avoid using Bison with untrusted input until the software is patched.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and libraries to the latest versions to address known vulnerabilities.
Implement input validation mechanisms to prevent malicious input from causing system crashes.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by GNU Bison to fix the vulnerability and enhance system security.