CVE-2018-11129 in VCFtools
Summary
by MITRE
The header::add_INFO_descriptor function in header.cpp in VCFtools 0.1.15 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (use-after-free) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted vcf file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-11129 represents a critical use-after-free condition within VCFtools version 0.1.15, specifically within the header::add_INFO_descriptor function located in header.cpp. This flaw arises when processing malformed Variant Call Format files that contain crafted VCF content, creating a scenario where memory previously deallocated is accessed, leading to unpredictable behavior and system instability. The vulnerability falls under CWE-416, which categorizes use-after-free conditions as a serious memory safety issue that can result in arbitrary code execution or denial of service attacks. VCFtools is widely used in genomic research for processing and analyzing variant call data, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for research institutions and bioinformatics pipelines that rely on this toolchain.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a remote attacker crafts a malicious VCF file containing specially formatted INFO descriptor entries that trigger the flawed header::add_INFO_descriptor function. During processing, the application allocates memory for descriptor information, subsequently frees it, but fails to properly nullify the pointer reference. When the application attempts to access this freed memory location, it may either crash with a segmentation fault or potentially execute arbitrary code if the memory layout allows for such manipulation. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service, as the use-after-free condition could potentially be leveraged for privilege escalation or remote code execution depending on the execution environment and memory layout. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in bioinformatics environments where large datasets are processed automatically, as automated pipelines could be exploited without user interaction.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-11129 affects organizations and researchers who depend on VCFtools for genomic data analysis, potentially disrupting research workflows and data processing pipelines. Systems that automatically process VCF files from external sources or that have VCFtools integrated into larger bioinformatics workflows face the highest risk of exploitation. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including automated scanning of web services that process VCF files, malicious file uploads in collaborative research platforms, or through compromised data sources in cloud-based genomics environments. Organizations using VCFtools in production environments may experience service interruptions, data corruption, or potential security breaches if attackers successfully exploit this vulnerability, particularly in research environments where multiple users contribute data to shared processing pipelines.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-11129 should prioritize immediate patching of VCFtools to version 0.1.16 or later, which contains the necessary memory management fixes for the header::add_INFO_descriptor function. System administrators should implement input validation and sanitization measures for all VCF files processed through VCFtools, including automated scanning for malformed content and restricting file upload capabilities to trusted sources only. Network-level protections such as intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for suspicious VCF file patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing techniques for VCF processing, isolating the vulnerable tool in restricted environments to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, highlighting the need for comprehensive endpoint protection and process monitoring to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of bioinformatics toolchains should include vulnerability scanning for similar memory safety issues, as this type of flaw is common in C/C++ applications and represents a persistent threat in scientific computing environments.