CVE-2008-1767 in Red Hat
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in pattern.c in libxslt before 1.1.24 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via an XSL style sheet file with a long XSLT "transformation match" condition that triggers a large number of steps.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-1767 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the libxslt library version 1.1.23 and earlier. This issue resides in the pattern.c component of the library, which is responsible for processing XSLT transformation patterns. The buffer overflow occurs when processing XSLT stylesheet files containing exceptionally long transformation match conditions that result in an excessive number of processing steps. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 buffer overflow category, specifically manifesting as a stack-based buffer overflow that can be triggered through malformed input processing.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a malicious XSLT stylesheet file with an extended transformation match condition that forces the libxslt processor to allocate excessive memory on the stack. When the library processes such a malformed stylesheet, the pattern matching algorithm fails to properly validate the length of transformation conditions, leading to memory corruption that can result in program termination or potentially arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is context-dependent, meaning successful exploitation requires specific conditions related to the structure and length of the XSLT match patterns being processed. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code through manipulated XSLT processing.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-1767 extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable remote code execution in vulnerable systems. Systems utilizing libxslt for processing XSLT transformations, including web applications, content management systems, and XML processing frameworks, become susceptible to this attack vector. The vulnerability affects not only direct applications using libxslt but also indirectly through any software that depends on this library for XML transformation operations. This includes web servers, application servers, and enterprise software platforms that process user-supplied XML content. The risk is particularly elevated in environments where untrusted XSLT content is processed, as attackers can craft malicious transformations to exploit this buffer overflow and gain unauthorized access to affected systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve immediate patching of libxslt to version 1.1.24 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to prevent the buffer overflow condition. Organizations should also implement input validation measures to limit the length and complexity of XSLT transformation patterns processed by applications. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual XSLT processing patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, application developers should consider implementing sandboxing techniques for XSLT processing, limiting memory allocation, and enforcing strict resource limits to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and memory management in XML processing libraries, as outlined in security best practices for preventing buffer overflow vulnerabilities. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems utilizing vulnerable versions of libxslt and ensure complete remediation across their infrastructure.