CVE-2021-44917 in Gnuplot
Summary
by MITRE • 12/21/2021
A Divide by Zero vulnerability exists in gnuplot 5.4 in the boundary3d function in graph3d.c, which could cause a Arithmetic exception and application crash.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/26/2025
The Divide by Zero vulnerability in gnuplot 5.4 represents a critical arithmetic exception that can lead to application instability and potential denial of service conditions. This flaw exists within the boundary3d function located in the graph3d.c source file, indicating a fundamental mathematical error in the three-dimensional graphing capabilities of the software. The vulnerability manifests when the application attempts to perform division operations with zero as the divisor, causing the system to encounter an arithmetic exception that terminates the program execution.
This specific vulnerability falls under the CWE-369 category of Divide by Zero, which is classified as a weakness in software design that occurs when a program attempts to divide a number by zero. The flaw demonstrates a lack of proper input validation and error handling within the three-dimensional graphing module, where the boundary3d function fails to check for zero values before performing division operations. The gnuplot software, widely used for creating scientific plots and visualizations, becomes susceptible to crashes when processing certain three-dimensional data sets that trigger this mathematical error condition.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes, as it can be exploited to cause denial of service attacks against systems running gnuplot 5.4. An attacker could craft malicious input data that specifically triggers the boundary3d function with zero values, leading to system instability and potential service interruption. This vulnerability affects users who rely on gnuplot for data visualization, particularly in environments where automated processing or web-based interfaces might be exposed to untrusted input. The issue represents a significant security concern for organizations that depend on gnuplot for scientific computing and data analysis tasks.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper input validation and error handling within the boundary3d function to prevent division by zero operations. System administrators should immediately upgrade to patched versions of gnuplot where the vulnerability has been addressed through code modifications that include checks for zero values before division operations. Additionally, deploying input sanitization measures and restricting user input processing can help prevent exploitation of this arithmetic exception. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks, as the application crash can be leveraged to disrupt legitimate service availability. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts targeting this specific arithmetic exception.