RTI Connext Buffer Over-read Vulnerability Allowing Heap Memory Overread

A buffer over-read vulnerability has been identified in RTI Connext Professional Core Libraries. This vulnerability allows for unauthorized reading of heap memory when the application parses XML types, potentially leading to information leakage or application crashes. The issue affects multiple versions of RTI Connext Professional, including versions 4.3x prior to 5.2.*, 5.3.0 prior to 5.3.*, 6.0.0 prior to 6.0.*, 6.1.0 prior to 6.1.*, 7.0.0 prior to 7.3.1.1, and 7.4.0 prior to 7.7.0.

Impact

Exploitation of this vulnerability causes a heap buffer over-read of one byte, leading to a minor confidentiality breach and a low likelihood of crashing the application.

Reproduction

The vulnerability can be reproduced by sending malicious RTPS messages that include harmful XML data, or by using a compromised local file system to introduce a malicious XML file. This can be done during the application's startup process.

Remediation

Users can upgrade to RTI Connext Professional version 7.3.1.2 or 7.7.0, both of which include the necessary fix. For versions 6.1.2.29 or earlier, a patch is available upon request.