CVE-2019-16941
NSA Ghidra through 9.0.4, when experimental mode is enabled, allows arbitrary code execution if the Read XML Files feature of Bit Patterns Explorer is used with a modified XML document.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (5.13%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
NSA Ghidra through 9.0.4, when experimental mode is enabled, allows arbitrary code execution if the Read XML Files feature of Bit Patterns Explorer is used with a modified XML document. This occurs in Features/BytePatterns/src/main/java/ghidra/bitpatterns/info/FileBitPatternInfoReader.java. An attack could start with an XML document that was originally created by DumpFunctionPatternInfoScript but then directly modified by an attacker (for example, to make a java.lang.Runtime.exec call).
- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 CRITICALCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 5.13% probability · 92th percentile
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-91
- Affected
- nsa/ghidra
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
References
- https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra/blob/79d8f164f8bb8b15cfb60c5d4faeb8e1c25d15ca/Ghidra/Features/BytePatterns/src/main/java/ghidra/bitpatterns/info/FileBitPatternInfoReader.java#L187-L188Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra/commit/a17728f8c12effa171b17a25ccfb7e7d9528c5d0
- https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra/issues/1090Exploit, Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/purpleracc00n/CVE-2019-16941
- https://twitter.com/NSAGov/status/1178812792159248385
- https://www.symantec.com/security-center/vulnerabilities/writeup/110223?om_rssid=sr-advisories
- https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra/blob/79d8f164f8bb8b15cfb60c5d4faeb8e1c25d15ca/Ghidra/Features/BytePatterns/src/main/java/ghidra/bitpatterns/info/FileBitPatternInfoReader.java#L187-L188Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra/commit/a17728f8c12effa171b17a25ccfb7e7d9528c5d0
- https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra/issues/1090Exploit, Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/purpleracc00n/CVE-2019-16941
- https://twitter.com/NSAGov/status/1178812792159248385
- https://www.symantec.com/security-center/vulnerabilities/writeup/110223?om_rssid=sr-advisories
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA. Refreshed daily.