CVE-2020-28610 in CGAL
Summary
by MITRE • 04/18/2022
Multiple code execution vulnerabilities exists in the Nef polygon-parsing functionality of CGAL libcgal CGAL-5.1.1. A specially crafted malformed file can lead to an out-of-bounds read and type confusion, which could lead to code execution. An attacker can provide malicious input to trigger any of these vulnerabilities. An oob read vulnerability exists in Nef_S2/SM_io_parser.h SM_io_parser<Decorator_>::read_vertex() set_face().
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2026
The vulnerability described represents a critical security flaw within the computational geometry library CGAL, specifically within its polygon-parsing functionality that handles Nef polygons. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the SM_io_parser template class, which processes geometric data structures in the Nef_S2 namespace. The vulnerability affects version 5.1.1 of the libcgal library and demonstrates a classic example of how malformed input can lead to severe memory corruption issues that adversaries can exploit for arbitrary code execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through multiple code execution vectors, with particular emphasis on out-of-bounds read conditions and type confusion errors that occur during the parsing of Nef polygons. The specific function SM_io_parser<Decorator_>::read_vertex() within the Nef_S2/SM_io_parser.h file serves as the primary attack surface where these memory corruption issues originate. When processing malformed input files, the parser fails to properly validate vertex data boundaries, leading to memory access violations that can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. This represents a CWE-125 vulnerability category for out-of-bounds read conditions combined with potential type confusion issues that could lead to privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it provides attackers with the capability to achieve full code execution within the context of applications utilizing the affected CGAL library. Attackers can craft malicious polygon files that when processed by vulnerable applications will trigger these memory corruption conditions, potentially allowing remote code execution on systems running affected software. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects core geometric processing functionality that many applications depend upon for CAD, GIS, and computational geometry operations. This creates a wide attack surface where even indirect exploitation through third-party applications could compromise systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the CGAL library to version 5.1.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for these memory corruption issues. Additionally, input validation measures should be implemented at application layers that utilize CGAL functionality, including strict sanitization of polygon data before processing and implementing robust error handling mechanisms. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter execution, as successful exploitation would allow attackers to execute arbitrary code within the target environment. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring for unusual geometric data processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts, while following security best practices for software supply chain management to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other third-party libraries.