CVE-2018-8808 in radare2
Summary
by MITRE
In radare2 2.4.0, there is a heap-based buffer over-read in the r_asm_disassemble function of asm.c. Remote attackers could leverage this vulnerability to cause a denial of service via a crafted dex file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-8808 represents a critical heap-based buffer over-read flaw within the radare2 reverse engineering framework version 2.4.0. This issue specifically affects the r_asm_disassemble function located in the asm.c source file, demonstrating a fundamental memory safety problem that can be exploited by remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks. The vulnerability manifests when processing specially crafted dex files, which are Android application packages that contain compiled bytecode. The heap-based nature of this over-read indicates that the application attempts to read memory beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, potentially accessing uninitialized or previously freed memory regions that could contain sensitive data or cause application instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the disassembly processing pipeline of radare2. When the r_asm_disassemble function encounters a malformed dex file, it fails to properly bounds-check array accesses or validate the structure of the input data before attempting to parse and disassemble the bytecode. This flaw aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities where programs access memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries. The vulnerability's exploitation pathway follows the typical ATT&CK technique of privilege escalation through software exploitation, where remote adversaries can manipulate the input processing flow to trigger the buffer over-read condition. The specific context of dex file processing makes this particularly concerning for security researchers and penetration testers who rely on radare2 for Android application analysis, as it demonstrates how seemingly benign file processing can become a vector for system instability.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-8808 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it can compromise the reliability and integrity of reverse engineering operations that depend on radare2. When exploited, this vulnerability can cause the application to crash or exhibit unpredictable behavior, potentially leading to loss of debugging sessions, corrupted analysis data, or complete application termination. For security professionals conducting mobile application security assessments, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to their operational effectiveness, as it can interrupt critical analysis workflows and may even provide adversaries with information about the target system's memory layout through potential information disclosure mechanisms. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can trigger this vulnerability without requiring local access or physical presence, making it particularly dangerous in environments where radare2 is used for automated security analysis or integrated into larger security toolchains.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of affected radare2 installations to version 2.4.1 or later, which contains the necessary memory bounds checking and input validation fixes. Organizations should implement defensive programming practices such as enabling address sanitizers and memory debugging tools during development and testing phases to detect similar issues before deployment. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of systems running radare2 to untrusted dex file inputs, particularly in automated analysis environments where file processing occurs without human oversight. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security audits and vulnerability assessments of reverse engineering tools, as these applications often process untrusted input from multiple sources and require robust memory safety protections. Security teams should consider implementing automated monitoring for application crashes or unexpected termination patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, while also ensuring that all radare2 usage follows secure coding practices and input validation procedures. Additionally, the vulnerability serves as a reminder that even specialized security tools require rigorous quality assurance processes, as the presence of heap-based buffer overflows in widely-used analysis frameworks can have cascading effects on security research and incident response operations.