CVE-2019-15759 in Binaryen
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Binaryen 1.38.32. Two visitors in ir/ExpressionManipulator.cpp can lead to a NULL pointer dereference in wasm::LocalSet::finalize in wasm/wasm.cpp. A crafted input can cause segmentation faults, leading to denial-of-service, as demonstrated by wasm2js.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-15759 represents a critical NULL pointer dereference flaw within the Binaryen webassembly compiler toolchain version 1.38.32. This issue manifests in the ir/ExpressionManipulator.cpp file where two specific visitors contain code paths that can result in invalid memory access patterns when processing malformed webassembly inputs. The flaw specifically impacts the wasm::LocalSet::finalize method located in wasm/wasm.cpp, creating a condition where a null pointer reference can be dereferenced during normal execution flow.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted webassembly binary inputs that trigger the problematic code paths within the ExpressionManipulator visitors. When these inputs are processed by the wasm2js tool as demonstrated in the exploit scenario, the runtime environment encounters a NULL pointer dereference that results in immediate segmentation fault conditions. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-476 category of NULL Pointer Dereference, which is classified as a fundamental memory safety issue that can lead to application crashes and potentially more severe consequences depending on the execution context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial-of-service conditions, as it can be leveraged to disrupt webassembly processing workflows in applications that rely on Binaryen for compilation and transformation tasks. Systems that process untrusted webassembly inputs, such as web browsers, server-side compilation services, or development environments using wasm2js, become vulnerable to this attack vector. The segmentation faults generated by this vulnerability can cause complete application termination, requiring manual intervention to restore normal operation and potentially leading to extended downtime in production environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of affected Binaryen versions to 1.38.33 or later where the NULL pointer dereference conditions have been addressed. Organizations should implement input validation measures that filter or sanitize webassembly inputs before processing them through Binaryen tools, particularly when dealing with untrusted sources. Additionally, deployment of runtime monitoring and intrusion detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts by monitoring for segmentation fault patterns and abnormal process termination conditions. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the technique of privilege escalation through software exploitation and can be classified under the broader category of code injection attacks that leverage memory corruption vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized system access.