REDHAT-BUG-641921: Null Pointer Dereference
Pidgin did not sanitize output of Base64 decode operation prior its further processing. A remote attacker, valid Pidgin user, could use this flaw to cause:
a, NULL pointer dereference (pidgin daemon crash) by transfering of a specially-crafted buddy icon via the Yahoo protocol plugin
b, NULL pointer dereference (pidgin deamon crash) by providing a specially-crafted IP address value for peer-to-peer connection in the Yahoo protocol plugin
c, NULL pointer dereference (pidgin daemon crash) by providing a specially-crafted transfer header in the MSN protocol plugin
d, NULL pointer dereference (pidgin daemon crash) by providing a specially-crafted login challenge value in the MySpace protocol plugin
e, NULL pointer dereference (pidgin daemon crash) by providing a specially-crafted Digest-MD5 authentication challenge in the XMPP protocol plugin
Note: This crash can happen only when Cyrus SASL is not available or does not provide Digest-MD5 support
f, NULL pointer dereference (pidgin daemon crash) by providing a specially-crafted Type 2 message by authentication via the NTLM protocol
Acknowledgements:
Red Hat would like to thank the Pidgin project for reporting these issues. Upstream acknowledges Daniel Atallah as the original reporter.
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of REDHAT-BUG-641921?
The severity of REDHAT-BUG-641921 is considered high due to the potential for a remote attacker to crash the Pidgin daemon.
How do I fix REDHAT-BUG-641921?
To fix REDHAT-BUG-641921, you should update Pidgin to the latest version available that addresses this vulnerability.
Who is affected by REDHAT-BUG-641921?
Users of Pidgin who utilize the Yahoo protocol plugin are affected by REDHAT-BUG-641921.
What type of attacks can REDHAT-BUG-641921 enable?
REDHAT-BUG-641921 can enable attacks that lead to a NULL pointer dereference and cause the Pidgin daemon to crash.
Can I mitigate the risks of REDHAT-BUG-641921 without updating?
Mitigating the risks of REDHAT-BUG-641921 without updating Pidgin is difficult, and the best practice is to apply the security update.