REDHAT-BUG-855029: Buffer Overflow
A buffer overflow was reported [1],[2] in mcrypt version 2.6.8 and earlier due to a boundary error in the processing of an encrypted file (via the checkfilehead() function in src/extra.c). If a user were tricked into attempting to decrypt a specially-crafted .nc encrypted flie, this flaw would cause a stack-based buffer overflow that could potentially lead to arbitrary code execution.
Note that this is caught by FORTIFYSOURCE, which renders this to being a crash-only bug on Fedora.
There is currently no upstream patches for this flaw.
[1] https://secunia.com/advisories/50507/ [2] https://bugs.gentoo.org/showbug.cgi?id=434112
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of REDHAT-BUG-855029?
The severity of REDHAT-BUG-855029 is classified as high due to the potential for remote code execution resulting from a buffer overflow.
How do I fix REDHAT-BUG-855029?
To fix REDHAT-BUG-855029, update mcrypt to the latest version that is higher than 2.6.8.
What versions are affected by REDHAT-BUG-855029?
Versions of mcrypt prior to 2.6.8 are affected by REDHAT-BUG-855029.
What type of vulnerability is REDHAT-BUG-855029?
REDHAT-BUG-855029 is a buffer overflow vulnerability in the mcrypt software.
What does the check_file_head() function do in REDHAT-BUG-855029?
The check_file_head() function in REDHAT-BUG-855029 is responsible for processing encrypted files, and it is where the boundary error occurs.