CVE-2017-13744 in Liblouis
Summary
by MITRE
There is an illegal address access in the function _lou_getALine() in compileTranslationTable.c:343 in Liblouis 3.2.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13744 represents a critical memory access issue within the Liblouis braille translation library version 3.2.0. This flaw exists in the _lou_getALine() function located in the compileTranslationTable.c source file at line 343, where improper handling of memory addresses leads to potential system instability and security risks. The vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking and memory management practices that allow for unauthorized access to memory locations outside the intended data structures.
This memory access violation constitutes a classic buffer over-read condition that aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities in software systems. The flaw specifically manifests when the function processes translation table data, potentially allowing attackers to access memory regions that should remain protected or inaccessible. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple memory corruption as it can be exploited to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions within applications that rely on Liblouis for braille translation services.
The operational implications of this vulnerability are significant for systems that utilize Liblouis for braille processing, particularly in accessibility applications, educational software, and assistive technology platforms. When exploited, the vulnerability can lead to application crashes, unexpected behavior, or more severe consequences depending on the execution environment. The flaw is particularly concerning because Liblouis is widely used in various operating systems and applications that require braille translation capabilities, making the potential attack surface extensive across multiple platforms and use cases.
Attackers can leverage this vulnerability through crafted input files or translation table data that triggers the problematic code path in _lou_getALine(). The exploitation requires careful preparation of input data that causes the function to access memory beyond its allocated boundaries. This type of vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which involves the execution of malicious code through the manipulation of application inputs, and T1499.004, which addresses the exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities for system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-13744 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Liblouis versions to the corrected release that addresses the memory access issue. System administrators should implement input validation measures to prevent malformed translation tables from being processed by applications using Liblouis. Additionally, deployment of runtime protections such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries can help reduce the exploitability of this vulnerability. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their applications that depend on Liblouis to identify potential attack vectors and ensure proper memory management practices are implemented in their own code that interfaces with the affected library.