CVE-2013-1846: Buffer Overflow
It was found that Subversion's moddavsvn Apache HTTPD server module will crash when a LOCK request is made against activity URLs. This can lead to a DoS.
An activity URL is used by the server to map transactions in the repository to an incoming commit by a client. They are created by using the MKACTIVITY http method on the activity URL the client wishes to create. Activity URLs following the pattern of having /!svn/act/$uuid where $uuid is some unique id the client chooses to use. The denial of service described here issues a LOCK request on an activity URL. There is no meaning to this request in the DAV based HTTP protocols that Subversion uses. There is a flaw in moddavsvn that improperly tries to process this request instead of rejecting it and results in an attempt to access invalid memory (NULL). The invalid memory access causes the httpd child process to segfault.
Acknowledgements:
Red Hat would like to thank the Apache Subversion project for reporting this issue. Upstream acknowledges Ben Reser as the original reporter of this flaw.
Other sources
The moddavsvn Apache HTTPD server module in Subversion 1.6.x before 1.6.21 and 1.7.0 through 1.7.8 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and crash) via a LOCK on an activity URL.
— MITRE
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2013-1846?
CVE-2013-1846 is classified as a denial-of-service vulnerability due to the potential for the mod_dav_svn module to crash when handling LOCK requests.
How do I fix CVE-2013-1846?
To remediate CVE-2013-1846, upgrade to Subversion version 1.6.21 or later, or 1.7.9 or later.
What versions of Subversion are affected by CVE-2013-1846?
CVE-2013-1846 affects Subversion versions prior to 1.6.21 and between 1.6.0 and 1.7.8.
What can occur if CVE-2013-1846 is exploited?
Exploitation of CVE-2013-1846 can lead to a denial-of-service condition where the Apache HTTPD server crashes.
Is CVE-2013-1846 related to a specific component of Subversion?
Yes, CVE-2013-1846 specifically affects the mod_dav_svn module of the Subversion software.