CVE-2024-42358: pdfio — Exploit & Fix

Description

PDFio is a simple C library for reading and writing PDF files. There is a denial of service (DOS) vulnerability in the TTF parser. Maliciously crafted TTF files can cause the program to utilize 100% of the Memory and enter an infinite loop. This can also lead to a heap-buffer-overflow vulnerability. An infinite loop occurs in the read_camp function by nGroups value. The ttf.h library is vulnerable. A value called nGroups is extracted from the file, and by changing that value, you can cause the program to utilize 100% of the Memory and enter an infinite loop. If the value of nGroups in the file is small, an infinite loop will not occur. This library, whether used as a standalone binary or as part of another application, is vulnerable to DOS attacks when parsing certain types of files. Automated systems, including web servers that use this code to convert PDF submissions into plaintext, can be DOSed if an attacker uploads a malicious TTF file. This issue has been addressed in release version 1.3.1. All users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

6.2

MEDIUM

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-835 CWE-835

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
msweet	pdfio	< 1.3.1

References

Advisories & Patches

https://github.com/michaelrsweet/pdfio/commit/e4e1c39578279386b0ab9f9ac14b20a8bad4f935 https://github.com/michaelrsweet/pdfio/security/advisories/GHSA-4hh9-j68x-8353

Exploits

https://github.com/michaelrsweet/pdfio/security/advisories/GHSA-4hh9-j68x-8353

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-42358? +

PDFio is a simple C library for reading and writing PDF files. There is a denial of service (DOS) vulnerability in the TTF parser. Maliciously crafted TTF files can cause the program to utilize 100% of the Memory and enter an infinite loop. This can also lead to a heap-buffer-overflow vulnerability. An infinite loop occurs in the read_camp function by nGroups value. The ttf.h library is vulnerable. A value called nGroups is extracted from the file, and by changing that value, you can cause the program to utilize 100% of the Memory and enter an infinite loop. If the value of nGroups in the file is small, an infinite loop will not occur. This library, whether used as a standalone binary or as part of another application, is vulnerable to DOS attacks when parsing certain types of files. Automated systems, including web servers that use this code to convert PDF submissions into plaintext, can be DOSed if an attacker uploads a malicious TTF file. This issue has been addressed in release version 1.3.1. All users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.2 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2024-42358? +

CVE-2024-42358 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 6.2 out of 10, rated MEDIUM. This is a medium-severity vulnerability that should be remediated as part of regular maintenance.

What products are affected by CVE-2024-42358? +

CVE-2024-42358 affects products from msweet, specifically: pdfio. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2024-42358? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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