CVE-2021-44502

Vulnerability

An issue exists in FIS GT.M through version V7.0-000 and the related YottaDB code base. The vulnerability resides in the util_format function in sr_unix/util_output.c. By providing crafted input, an attacker can control the size argument passed to a memset call, leading to a potential buffer overflow. Affected versions include GT.M up to V7.0-000 and YottaDB prior to the r1.34 release [1][2].

Exploitation

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted input to the database engine. No authentication is required, and the attack can be performed remotely if the database accepts network connections. The crafted input triggers a call to util_format with a user-controlled size for memset, which can cause memory corruption.

Impact

Successful exploitation could result in memory corruption, potentially leading to denial of service or arbitrary code execution. The exact impact depends on the attacker's ability to control the size and subsequent memory operations.

Mitigation

The vulnerability is fixed in YottaDB release r1.34, as documented in the associated issue [2]. For FIS GT.M, users should upgrade to a version beyond V7.0-000 once a patch is available. No workarounds have been disclosed in the available references.