CVE-2018-25282 presents a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Nmap 7.70. This vulnerability allows local attackers to crash the application by processing malicious XML files that exploit exponential entity expansion. Attackers can create a crafted XML file with nested entity definitions and open it using ZenMap's scan import functionality, which can lead to excessive resource consumption and application crashes.
The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 6.9, indicating a medium severity level. This score highlights the potential risk to organizations that utilize Nmap for network scanning and monitoring. Given that the attack vector is local and requires no special privileges or user interaction, it increases the vulnerability's exploitability.
Risk to organizations includes potential downtime and resource exhaustion that could disrupt operations. As local access is required for exploitation, it is crucial for organizations to ensure that access to Nmap installations is tightly controlled and monitored.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately. As of now, there are no known public exploits or proofs of concept available, but the nature of this vulnerability suggests that it could be easily crafted by an attacker with local access.
Vulnerability Details
This vulnerability allows local attackers to crash the application by processing malicious XML files with exponential entity expansion. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-674.
The CVSS score is based on the following metrics:
Metric | Value |
|---|---|
Attack Vector | LOCAL |
Attack Complexity | LOW |
Privileges Required | NONE |
User Interaction | NONE |
Availability Impact | HIGH |
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the way Nmap processes XML files. The application does not adequately handle nested entity definitions, leading to a situation where excessive resource consumption occurs, ultimately resulting in a crash. The attack vector is local, meaning that an attacker must have access to the machine running Nmap.
The attack complexity is low; a local attacker can easily create a malicious XML file and exploit this vulnerability without needing special privileges or user interaction. As a result, the confidentiality and integrity impacts are none, but the availability impact is high, as the application can crash.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Organizations utilizing Nmap for network scanning need to consider the implications of this vulnerability. The potential for local attackers to crash the application can lead to significant downtime and impact network monitoring capabilities. Furthermore, the simplicity of exploitation increases the risk of this vulnerability being leveraged in real-world scenarios.
Given the medium severity and high availability impact, organizations should address this vulnerability in their patch cycle. The blast radius could extend to any systems utilizing Nmap without proper access controls, emphasizing the need for immediate remediation measures.
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
Nmap 7.70 is affected by this vulnerability. Organizations should refer to the vendor for any patches or updates to remediate this issue. If version information is missing, organizations should consider all versions prior to vendor patch.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should look for patches or updates from the vendor to address this vulnerability. In the absence of a patch, consider implementing strict access controls to limit local access to the Nmap application. Regular monitoring of network traffic and application behavior can also help identify potential exploitation attempts.
For further guidance on securing your applications, organizations can refer to the application security assessment services from AppSecure.
Detection Guidance
To detect potential exploitation attempts of this vulnerability, organizations should monitor application logs for unusual activity, especially related to XML file processing. Additionally, network signatures that indicate excessive resource consumption may serve as indicators of a potential attack.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
CVE-2018-25282 highlights the importance of secure coding practices and the need for thorough testing of applications that handle XML files. Organizations must prioritize security throughout the software development lifecycle to mitigate similar vulnerabilities in the future.
For more on penetration testing methodologies, organizations should consult the penetration testing methodology guide from AppSecure.
In summary, organizations should remain vigilant and proactive in addressing vulnerabilities such as CVE-2018-25282. Continuous monitoring and regular security assessments are essential for maintaining a robust security posture.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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