CVE-2020-28609

Vulnerability

An out-of-bounds read vulnerability exists in the Nef polygon-parsing functionality of CGAL libcgal, specifically in the PM_io_parser::read_face() function's store_iv() call within Nef_2/PM_io_parser.h. This occurs when parsing a specially crafted malformed Nef polygon file. The issue affects CGAL version 5.1.1 [1].

Exploitation

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by providing a maliciously crafted Nef polygon file (e.g., .nef3 format) to an application using the CGAL library for parsing. No authentication or user interaction is required, and the attack can be launched over a network. The malformed input triggers an out-of-bounds read, leading to type confusion and potential code execution [1].

Impact

Successful exploitation allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the process using the CGAL library. This can result in complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system [1].

Mitigation

As of the available references, a fix has not been explicitly disclosed. It is recommended to update to a version of CGAL that includes a patch for this vulnerability when one becomes available. No workaround is mentioned in the advisory [1].