CVE-2019-17545 in Database Server
Summary
by MITRE
GDAL through 3.0.1 has a poolDestroy double free in OGRExpatRealloc in ogr/ogr_expat.cpp when the 10MB threshold is exceeded.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/22/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-17545 represents a critical double free condition within the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library GDAL version 3.0.1 and earlier. This flaw exists in the OGRExpatRealloc function located within the ogr/ogr_expat.cpp source file, specifically when processing data that exceeds a 10MB memory threshold. The issue arises from improper memory management where the same memory block gets deallocated twice, creating a potential exploitation vector for malicious actors seeking to compromise systems running affected GDAL versions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the memory pool management system within GDAL's XML parsing capabilities. When processing geospatial data files that contain XML structures exceeding 10MB in size, the OGRExpatRealloc function fails to properly track memory allocation states. This leads to a scenario where a memory block that has already been freed is attempted to be freed again, causing undefined behavior and potential system instability. The flaw operates at the intersection of memory management and XML parsing, making it particularly dangerous in environments where GDAL processes untrusted geospatial data from external sources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes, potentially enabling remote code execution under specific conditions. Attackers could craft malicious geospatial files that trigger the double free condition when processed by applications utilizing GDAL libraries. This creates a significant risk for organizations relying on GDAL for data processing, particularly in web applications, GIS systems, and automated data ingestion pipelines. The vulnerability affects any system where GDAL is used to parse XML content, making it a widespread concern across various geospatial processing environments.
Security practitioners should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to GDAL version 3.0.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the memory pool management issue. Organizations should also consider implementing input validation measures that restrict the size of XML content processed by GDAL components, particularly when handling untrusted data. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual memory allocation patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-415, which addresses double free conditions in memory management, and could potentially map to ATT&CK technique T1059 for execution through compromised applications. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of updated libraries in staging environments to ensure compatibility with existing geospatial workflows and data processing pipelines.