CVE-2011-3594: Buffer Overflow
A flaw was reported [1] in libpurple's SILC protocol plugin, and all software which uses SILC via libpurple. The gmarkupescapetext() function, when called on strings that have not been verified as valid UTF-8, will read past the end of the string and eventually segfault for certain sequences in some versions of Glib2. The behaviour of this function was undefined, and because it depends on the particular version of Glib2 in use, it is unknown what the complete ramifications of the flaw is, however it has been verified that an untrusted user could remotely crash a libpurple client via specially crafted SILC messages.
This flaw is believed to affect all versions of libpurple up to and including 2.10.0. This has been corrected in the upstream git repository [2].
[1] http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/14636 [2] http://developer.pidgin.im/viewmtn/revision/diff/be5e66abad2af29604bc794cc4c6600ab12751f3/with/7eb1f6d56cc58bbb5b56b7df53955d36b9b419b8
Other sources
The gmarkupescapetext function in the SILC protocol plug-in in libpurple 2.10.0 and earlier, as used in Pidgin and possibly other products, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via invalid UTF-8 sequences that trigger use of invalid pointers and an out-of-bounds read, related to interactions with certain versions of glib2.
— MITRE
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2011-3594?
The severity of CVE-2011-3594 is classified as moderate due to potential segfault issues.
How do I fix CVE-2011-3594?
To fix CVE-2011-3594, upgrade to Pidgin version 2.10.1 or later.
What versions of Pidgin are affected by CVE-2011-3594?
CVE-2011-3594 affects multiple versions of Pidgin, specifically those below 2.10.1.
What component is vulnerable in CVE-2011-3594?
CVE-2011-3594 affects the SILC protocol plugin in the libpurple library used by Pidgin.
How can I check if I am using a vulnerable version related to CVE-2011-3594?
You can check the version of Pidgin installed on your system and compare it against the affected versions listed in the CVE description.