CVE-2017-10966 in irssi
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Irssi before 1.0.4. While updating the internal nick list, Irssi could incorrectly use the GHashTable interface and free the nick while updating it. This would then result in use-after-free conditions on each access of the hash table.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-10966 represents a critical memory safety issue within the Irssi IRC client software, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.0.4. This flaw manifests during the internal nickname list management process where the application improperly handles the GHashTable interface, creating a scenario that leads to severe memory corruption. The issue occurs when Irssi attempts to update its internal nick list structure, triggering an improper memory deallocation that leaves references to freed memory in the hash table structure.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the GHashTable data structure implementation used by Irssi. When the application updates the internal nickname list, it incorrectly invokes the hash table interface in a manner that results in premature memory deallocation of nickname entries. This creates a use-after-free condition where subsequent accesses to the hash table attempt to reference memory locations that have already been freed and potentially reallocated. The flaw operates at the intersection of memory management and data structure integrity, where the application's internal state becomes corrupted during normal operation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant security implications for users running affected versions of Irssi. The use-after-free condition could potentially be exploited by malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on systems where the vulnerable IRC client is in use. Attackers could craft specially formatted IRC messages or nickname updates that trigger the memory corruption, potentially leading to remote code execution or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it occurs during routine nickname list updates, making it difficult to predict and prevent through normal security monitoring.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which describes the use-after-free condition where memory is accessed after it has been freed, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for remote code execution through vulnerable software components. The flaw demonstrates poor memory management practices in the application's handling of dynamic data structures, specifically the GHashTable interface from the GLib library. Organizations and users running Irssi should prioritize immediate patching to version 1.0.4 or later, as this update resolves the improper memory handling that leads to the use-after-free condition. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing network monitoring to detect unusual nickname update patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while also ensuring that all software components are kept current with security patches to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in other applications.