CVE-2019-18604
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in axohelp (part of axodraw2) involves mishandling of sprintf functions, which can lead to buffer overflow attacks. It affects systems using TeXLive and other TeX distributions with vulnerable versions of axodraw2. Attackers could potentially execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service.
💻 Affected Systems
- axodraw2
- TeXLive
- Other TeX distributions containing axodraw2
📦 What is this software?
Axodraw2 by Axodraw2 Project
Axohelp.c by Axohelp.c Project
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution with full system compromise, allowing attackers to take complete control of affected systems.
Likely Case
Denial of service through application crashes or limited code execution in constrained environments.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact if systems are properly segmented, have exploit mitigations enabled, and don't process untrusted input.
🎯 Exploit Status
Buffer overflow vulnerabilities in sprintf functions are well-understood attack vectors, but specific exploit development would require understanding the vulnerable code paths.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: axodraw2 2.1.1b or later, axohelp 1.3 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00033.html
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Update TeXLive to version 2019 or later. 2. For standalone installations, update axodraw2 to version 2.1.1b or later. 3. Verify the fix by checking version numbers.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Remove vulnerable components
linuxUninstall or disable axodraw2 and axohelp if not required
sudo apt remove texlive-pictures texlive-latex-extra
sudo yum remove texlive-axodraw2
Input validation
allImplement strict input validation for LaTeX documents processed by vulnerable systems
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Network segmentation: Isolate systems running vulnerable TeX distributions from critical networks
- Implement strict access controls: Limit who can submit documents for processing and monitor for suspicious activity
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check installed axodraw2 version: locate axodraw2.sty and check file contents for version informationCheck Version:
grep 'ProvidesPackage{axodraw2}' $(kpsewhich axodraw2.sty) | grep -o '[0-9]\+\.[0-9]\+\.[0-9]\+[a-z]*'Verify Fix Applied:
Verify axodraw2 version is 2.1.1b or later and axohelp version is 1.3 or later📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Segmentation faults or abnormal termination of LaTeX processing tools
- Unexpected process creation from tex-related binaries
Network Indicators:
- Unusual network connections originating from TeX processing systems
SIEM Query:
process_name: (pdflatex, latex, tex) AND (event_type: crash OR exit_code: 139)🔗 References
- https://github.com/TeX-Live/texlive-source/commit/9216833a3888a4105a18e8c349f65b045ddb1079#diff-987e40c0e27ee43f6a2414ada73a191a
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00033.html
- https://github.com/TeX-Live/texlive-source/commit/9216833a3888a4105a18e8c349f65b045ddb1079#diff-987e40c0e27ee43f6a2414ada73a191a
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00033.html
