CVE-2013-4154: Null Pointer Dereference

Published Jul 19, 2013
·
Updated

If users haven't configured guest agent then qemuAgentCommand() will dereference a NULL 'mon' pointer.

A remote user able to issue commands to libvirt daemon could use this flaw to crash libvirtd.

References: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/showbug.cgi?id=984821 https://www.redhat.com/archives/libvir-list/2013-July/msg00992.html

Acknowledgements:

This issue was discovered by Alex Jia of Red Hat.

Other sources

The qemuAgentCommand function in libvirt before 1.1.1, when a guest agent is not configured, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and crash) via vectors related to "agent based cpu (un)plug," as demonstrated by the "virsh vcpucount foobar --guest" command.

Affected Software

8 affected components
redhat libvirt<=1.1.0
redhat libvirt=1.0.0
redhat libvirt=1.0.1
redhat libvirt=1.0.2
redhat libvirt=1.0.3
redhat libvirt=1.0.4
redhat libvirt=1.0.5
redhat libvirt=1.0.6

Event History

Jul 19, 2013
Data Sourced
04:07 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Sep 30, 2013
CVE Published
via MITRE·09:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·09:00 PM
Description

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2013-4154?

CVE-2013-4154 has been classified as a high severity vulnerability due to the potential for a remote attacker to crash the libvirtd daemon.

2

How do I fix CVE-2013-4154?

To mitigate CVE-2013-4154, you should upgrade to a patched version of Red Hat Libvirt that addresses this vulnerability.

3

Which versions of Red Hat Libvirt are affected by CVE-2013-4154?

CVE-2013-4154 affects Red Hat Libvirt versions up to and including 1.1.0 and specific versions below that.

4

What is the impact of exploiting CVE-2013-4154?

Exploiting CVE-2013-4154 allows a remote user to crash the libvirtd service, leading to denial of service.

5

Is a guest agent required to be affected by CVE-2013-4154?

Yes, the vulnerability arises if users haven't configured the guest agent, which leads to a NULL pointer dereference.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203