CVE-2019-14958 in PyCharm
Summary
by MITRE
JetBrains PyCharm before 2019.2 was allocating a buffer of unknown size for one of the connection processes. In a very specific situation, it could lead to a remote invocation of an OOM error message because of Uncontrolled Memory Allocation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-14958 represents a critical memory management flaw within JetBrains PyCharm IDE versions prior to 2019.2. This issue stems from improper buffer allocation practices during network connection processes, creating a potential vector for remote exploitation. The vulnerability manifests when the application allocates memory buffers of unknown or unpredictable sizes, leading to scenarios where malicious actors can trigger excessive memory consumption. The flaw specifically affects the connection handling mechanisms within the IDE, particularly during network operations that involve data transmission or remote debugging sessions. According to CWE-772, this vulnerability maps directly to the weakness of insufficient resource pool sizing, where the application fails to properly constrain memory allocation parameters. The operational context of this vulnerability becomes particularly concerning in environments where PyCharm is used for remote development or debugging across network boundaries, as it creates opportunities for adversaries to leverage the uncontrolled memory allocation for denial of service attacks. The specific conditions required for exploitation involve precise timing and network interaction patterns that allow an attacker to manipulate the buffer allocation process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in resource management within the IDE's networking stack. When PyCharm establishes network connections or processes remote data streams, it allocates memory buffers without adequate bounds checking or size validation. This uncontrolled allocation can result in massive memory consumption that eventually leads to out-of-memory conditions, effectively causing the application to crash or become unresponsive. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require local access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where developers may connect to remote servers or services. The memory allocation process becomes a potential attack surface where malicious inputs can cause exponential growth in memory usage, creating a resource exhaustion scenario that aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1499.3 for resource exhaustion. The specific implementation details suggest that the buffer size calculation or allocation logic fails to account for potential malicious input or network conditions that could cause the memory pool to expand beyond reasonable limits.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-14958 extends beyond simple application instability to potentially disrupt entire development workflows and compromise system availability. In professional development environments, this vulnerability could lead to cascading failures where multiple developers experience IDE crashes during collaborative projects or remote debugging sessions. The remote invocation capability means that attackers could target specific network endpoints or development servers where PyCharm is in use, potentially causing widespread disruption across development teams. Organizations relying on PyCharm for critical development work may face production delays, debugging interruptions, and potential data loss if the application becomes unresponsive due to memory exhaustion. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-772 emphasizes the importance of proper resource management and the need for applications to implement adequate safeguards against unbounded resource consumption. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of broader attack chains, particularly in scenarios involving network infiltration or system disruption campaigns.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-14958 primarily focus on upgrading to JetBrains PyCharm 2019.2 or later versions where the memory allocation issues have been resolved. Organizations should implement immediate patch management procedures to ensure all development environments are updated with the latest security fixes. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect unusual memory consumption patterns or network traffic anomalies that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix implemented by JetBrains addresses the root cause by introducing proper bounds checking and size validation for buffer allocations during connection processes. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation or firewall rules that limit unnecessary network access to development environments, reducing the attack surface. Regular security assessments should include verification of application memory management practices and resource allocation mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other software components. Organizations may also benefit from implementing automated memory monitoring tools that can alert administrators to potential resource exhaustion scenarios before they result in service disruption.