CVE-2017-1000232 in ldns
Summary
by MITRE
A double-free vulnerability in str2host.c in ldns 1.7.0 have unspecified impact and attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1000232 represents a critical double-free condition within the ldns library version 1.7.0, specifically in the str2host.c source file. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program attempts to free the same memory block twice, which can lead to unpredictable behavior and potential exploitation by malicious actors. The ldns library serves as a comprehensive DNS library implementation that provides various DNS-related functions for network applications, making it a widely used component in network infrastructure and security tools.
The technical flaw manifests in the str2host.c implementation where memory allocation and deallocation functions are improperly managed, creating scenarios where the same memory address may be passed to the free() function multiple times. This double-free condition can result in heap corruption, which may allow attackers to manipulate memory layout and potentially execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability's unspecified impact and attack vectors indicate that the exact exploitation methods and consequences could vary depending on the specific environment and usage context of the affected software components.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to systems that rely on ldns 1.7.0 for DNS resolution and network communication tasks. Network security tools, DNS servers, and applications that utilize the ldns library for DNS operations become vulnerable to potential exploitation. The double-free condition can be triggered through malformed DNS input or crafted network packets that are processed by the vulnerable library functions, making it particularly dangerous in network-facing applications.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-415, which specifically addresses double free conditions in software implementations, and may map to various ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation and code execution through memory corruption attacks. Organizations using affected systems should prioritize immediate remediation through library updates or patches provided by the maintainers. The remediation process should involve comprehensive testing of updated library versions to ensure compatibility with existing applications while addressing the heap corruption vulnerabilities that could be exploited for unauthorized system access or privilege escalation.