CVE-2019-18635 in Mooltipass Moolticute
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Mooltipass Moolticute through v0.42.1 and v0.42.x-testing through v0.42.5-testing. There is a NULL pointer dereference in MPDevice_win.cpp.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2019-18635 represents a critical null pointer dereference flaw discovered in the Mooltipass Moolticute software ecosystem, specifically affecting versions through v0.42.1 and the v0.42.x-testing branch up to v0.42.5-testing. This issue resides within the MPDevice_win.cpp source file, indicating a Windows-specific implementation weakness that could potentially compromise the integrity and availability of the device management functionality. The Mooltipass Moolticute platform serves as a sophisticated hardware security key solution designed to protect user credentials and sensitive authentication data across various digital platforms.
The technical flaw manifests as a null pointer dereference condition where the software fails to properly validate pointer references before attempting to access memory locations. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-476 category of NULL Pointer Dereference, which represents one of the most common and dangerous classes of software defects in systems programming. When the application attempts to dereference a null pointer in the MPDevice_win.cpp file, it causes an immediate crash or unexpected termination of the process, effectively creating a denial of service condition that can be exploited by malicious actors to disrupt legitimate operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system instability, as it directly affects the core functionality of credential management and authentication services. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness to cause service disruption for legitimate users, particularly in enterprise environments where Mooltipass devices are deployed for secure authentication purposes. The vulnerability's presence in the Windows-specific implementation suggests that targeted attacks could be mounted against systems where this software is actively running, potentially leading to broader compromise scenarios if the application is integrated with other security systems or if attackers can leverage the crash to escalate privileges.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly under the T1499 category of Network Denial of Service, where such null pointer dereference conditions can be weaponized to create service availability issues. The vulnerability's classification as a denial of service condition means that it can be exploited to prevent legitimate users from accessing their credential management services, effectively creating a form of authentication disruption that undermines the security posture of systems relying on Mooltipass devices. Organizations should immediately implement patch management procedures to update to versions that address this null pointer dereference issue and monitor for potential exploitation attempts.
The root cause analysis reveals that proper input validation and error handling mechanisms are insufficiently implemented within the MPDevice_win.cpp file, suggesting a broader code quality issue that may indicate other similar vulnerabilities exist within the codebase. This type of vulnerability typically emerges from inadequate defensive programming practices where developers assume certain conditions will always be met without proper validation checks. The fix for this vulnerability would require implementing proper null pointer checks and graceful error handling procedures that prevent the application from crashing when encountering unexpected null references during device communication processes.