CVE-2018-5698 in ReadStat
Summary
by MITRE
libreadstat.a in WizardMac ReadStat 0.1.1 has a heap-based buffer over-read via an unterminated string.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-5698 resides within the libreadstat.a library component of WizardMac ReadStat version 0.1.1, representing a heap-based buffer over-read condition that emerges from improper handling of unterminated strings. This flaw occurs when the library processes data files containing strings that lack proper null termination, leading to memory access beyond allocated boundaries. The issue manifests specifically during the parsing of statistical data formats where string handling routines fail to account for the absence of terminating null characters, creating a scenario where subsequent memory reads extend beyond intended buffer limits.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the library's string processing functions that assume all input strings are properly null-terminated before performing memory operations. When encountering strings without trailing null characters, the parsing logic continues reading memory locations beyond the allocated buffer space, potentially accessing sensitive data or causing application instability. This over-read behavior creates a memory corruption scenario that can be exploited by malicious actors to extract information from adjacent memory regions or potentially influence program execution flow.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability affects any application or system that relies on WizardMac ReadStat 0.1.1 for processing statistical data files, particularly those containing improperly formatted string data. The heap-based nature of the over-read means that the vulnerability can lead to information disclosure, application crashes, or potentially more severe consequences depending on the memory layout and adjacent data structures. Systems processing large volumes of statistical data, such as research institutions, government agencies, or financial organizations using statistical analysis tools, face heightened risk exposure.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions in software systems, and represents a classic example of improper input validation where string termination assumptions are not properly enforced. From an attack framework perspective, this issue could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting languages and T1552.001 for data manipulation, as attackers might leverage this weakness to extract sensitive information from memory or manipulate data processing pipelines. The remediation approach requires updating to a patched version of ReadStat that properly handles unterminated strings through bounds checking and explicit null termination validation. Organizations should implement input sanitization measures and consider memory safety enhancements to prevent similar vulnerabilities in custom implementations that may rely on similar string processing patterns.