CVE-2024-36699 in Debugger
Summary
by MITRE • 06/12/2024
GNU Debugger v8.2 to v14.2 was discovered to contain a buffer overflow via the component gdb.selected_inferior().read_memory at utils.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2024
This vulnerability resides in the GNU Debugger (GDB) ecosystem where a buffer overflow condition has been identified within the gdb.selected_inferior().read_memory function located in the utils.c source file. The flaw affects versions ranging from 8.2 through 14.2 of the debugger, representing a significant security concern for developers and system administrators who rely on GDB for software debugging operations. The buffer overflow occurs when the read_memory function processes memory reads without proper bounds checking, allowing malicious actors to potentially overwrite adjacent memory locations and corrupt program execution flow.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient boundary checks permit data to be written beyond allocated buffer space. This particular implementation flaw manifests when GDB attempts to read memory regions from debugged processes, particularly in scenarios involving large memory reads or malformed input parameters. The vulnerability can be exploited through crafted debug scripts or maliciously constructed memory access operations that trigger the unsafe memory handling within the selected_inferior context.
From an operational impact perspective, this buffer overflow presents a critical risk to debugging environments where GDB is used with untrusted code or in automated testing scenarios. Attackers could potentially leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on systems running vulnerable versions of GDB, especially when the debugger is used in security research contexts or during penetration testing activities. The exploitability of this flaw increases significantly in environments where debug sessions are initiated with elevated privileges or when debugging applications that process untrusted input data. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1059 which covers execution through command and scripting interpreter, as the vulnerable GDB functionality could be manipulated through script-based attacks.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate upgrading to GDB versions 14.3 or later where the buffer overflow has been patched and properly bounds-checked memory operations have been implemented. Organizations should also implement defensive measures such as restricting GDB execution privileges, monitoring debug sessions for unusual memory access patterns, and employing sandboxing techniques when running potentially malicious code through the debugger. Additionally, developers should avoid using vulnerable functions in custom debug scripts and implement proper input validation when interfacing with memory reading operations. Security teams should conduct vulnerability assessments across all systems where GDB is installed and actively monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this specific buffer overflow condition.