CVE-2014-3469: Null Pointer Dereference
A NULL pointer dereference flaw was found in libtasn1's asn1readvaluetype() / asn1readvalue() function. If an application called the function with a NULL value for an ivalue argument to determine the amount of memory needed to store data to be read from the ASN.1 input, libtasn1 could incorrectly attempt to dereference the NULL pointer, causing an application using the library to crash.
The libtasn1 library is used by the GnuTLS library to parse X.509 certificates. The gnutls packages in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and earlier use bundled libtasn1, packages in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 and later depend on the library provided by a separate libtasn1 package.
Upstream commits: http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/libtasn1.git/commit/lib/element.c?id=a8b3e14f84174e01755bfd1be5448fffce7c9ffa http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/libtasn1.git/commit/lib/element.c?id=3d6a02f19ff15a38dae9686033e37499b3968256 http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/libtasn1.git/commit/lib/element.c?id=53958290ab731c8486531a3bdef54a933533579d
Other sources
The (1) asn1readvaluetype and (2) asn1readvalue functions in GNU Libtasn1 before 3.6 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and crash) via a NULL value in an ivalue argument.
— MITRE
Affected Software
Remediation
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2014-3469?
The severity of CVE-2014-3469 is classified as medium due to the potential for applications to crash when handling ASN.1 input.
How do I fix CVE-2014-3469?
To fix CVE-2014-3469, upgrade the libtasn1 package to version 3.6 or later.
Which software is affected by CVE-2014-3469?
CVE-2014-3469 affects various versions of libtasn1 and GnuTLS, including libtasn1 versions below 3.6 and GnuTLS below 3.5.7.
What types of systems are impacted by CVE-2014-3469?
CVE-2014-3469 can affect systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Debian Linux, and SUSE Linux among others.
Can CVE-2014-3469 lead to denial of service?
Yes, CVE-2014-3469 can lead to denial of service if an application crashes when it encounters a NULL pointer dereference.