CVE-2021-42522 in anjuta
Summary
by MITRE • 08/25/2022
There is a Information Disclosure vulnerability in anjuta/plugins/document-manager/anjuta-bookmarks.c. This issue was caused by the incorrect use of libxml2 API. The vendor forgot to call 'g_free()' to release the return value of 'xmlGetProp()'.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-42522 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Anjuta integrated development environment's document manager plugin. This issue specifically affects the anjuta-bookmarks.c file where improper memory management practices lead to potential data exposure. The vulnerability stems from the incorrect utilization of the libxml2 application programming interface, which is a widely used library for XML processing in software applications. The root cause lies in the vendor's failure to properly handle memory allocation and deallocation when processing XML properties, creating a scenario where sensitive information could be inadvertently exposed through memory leaks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the improper handling of memory returned by the xmlGetProp() function within the libxml2 library. This function retrieves XML properties from elements and returns allocated memory that must be properly freed to prevent memory leaks. When developers fail to call g_free() on the return value of xmlGetProp(), the allocated memory remains accessible in the application's memory space, potentially exposing sensitive data that was processed during XML parsing operations. This memory management error creates a persistent information disclosure risk that can be exploited by malicious actors to extract confidential information from the application's memory.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory leaks to create significant security implications for developers using the Anjuta IDE. Attackers could potentially leverage this information disclosure to gain insights into the application's internal state, configuration details, or even sensitive data that was processed during XML parsing operations. The vulnerability affects the document manager plugin's bookmark functionality, which handles XML-based configuration files that may contain user-specific information, project details, or other sensitive metadata. This creates a persistent threat vector that could be exploited across multiple sessions and user interactions with the IDE.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of improper memory management that aligns with CWE-401, which specifically addresses memory leaks in software applications. The flaw demonstrates how seemingly minor coding oversights in API usage can create substantial security risks, particularly when dealing with libraries that handle sensitive data processing. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under T1552, which covers techniques for accessing data stored in memory, and T1059, which involves command and control communications that could be facilitated by information disclosure. The vulnerability represents a prime example of how application security weaknesses can be exploited to create persistent information exposure risks.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate code review and patching of the anjuta-bookmarks.c file to ensure proper memory management practices are implemented. Developers should modify the code to consistently call g_free() on all return values from xmlGetProp() and similar libxml2 functions that allocate memory. Additionally, comprehensive testing should include memory leak detection tools and static analysis to prevent similar issues in other parts of the codebase. Organizations should also implement proper code review processes that specifically focus on memory management patterns and API usage to prevent recurrence of such vulnerabilities. The fix should be applied across all affected versions of the Anjuta IDE to ensure complete remediation of the information disclosure risk.