XXE attack in python2-tkinter (Alpine package)

Published: 2019-04-16

Risk	Low
Patch available	YES
Number of vulnerabilities	1
CVE-ID	CVE-2018-14647
CWE-ID	CWE-611
Exploitation vector	Network
Public exploit	N/A
Vulnerable software Subscribe	python2-tkinter (Alpine package) Operating systems & Components / Operating system package or component
Vendor	Alpine Linux Development Team

Security Bulletin

This security bulletin contains one low risk vulnerability.

1) XXE attack

EUVDB-ID: #VU15760

Risk: Low

CVSSv3.1: 5.7 [CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C]

CVE-ID: CVE-2018-14647

CWE-ID: CWE-611 - Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference ('XXE')

Exploit availability: No

Description

The vulnerability allows a remote attacker to conduct XXE-attack.

The vulnerability exists due to improper handling of XML External Entities (XXEs) when parsing an XML file. A remote attacker can trick the victim into open an XML file that submits malicious input, trigger pathological hash collisions in Expat's internal data structures, consume large amounts CPU and RAM, and cause a denial of service (DoS) condition.

Mitigation

Install update from vendor's website.

Vulnerable software versions

python2-tkinter (Alpine package): 2.7.16-r0

External links

Q & A

Can this vulnerability be exploited remotely?

Yes. This vulnerability can be exploited by a remote non-authenticated attacker via the Internet.

Is there known malware, which exploits this vulnerability?

No. We are not aware of malware exploiting this vulnerability.