Re: [Opengrads-devel] Buffer overflow vulnerability in GrADS

[Jennifer A. <jm...@co...>]

Hi, Arlindo --
This is definitely worth fixing, but I think it will be simpler and  
faster to replace sprintf() with snprintf() rather than re-implement  
the message handling in GrADS. I'll put this on my list for the next  
release. I don't think it represents a security threat with the GDS.
--Jennifer


On Oct 26, 2009, at 11:33 AM, Arlindo da Silva wrote:

> Brian, Jennifer et al,
>
>   As we all know, GrADS makes extensive use of the sprintf()  
> function which is known to have the so-called buffer overflow  
> vulnerability as explained in this document:
>    http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/documentation/Security/Conceptual/SecureCodingGuide/Articles/BufferOverflows.html#/ 
> /apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40002577
>
>   A good precaution would be to replace all occurrences of sprintf()  
> with snprintf(), making sure the resulting string is NULL  
> terminated.  Since many occurrences of sprintf() are associated with  
> gaprnt(), it might be convenient to use the stdarg.h feature in the  
> C standard library
>
>    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stdarg.h
>
>  and have a new function
>
>     gaprntf(int level,  const char *format, ...)
>
> which has the combined effect of sprintf() + gaprnt().
>
>   What do you think? I need to address this vulnerability before  
> being able to deploy grads server side. I am willing to help  
> implement this change in the main grads codebase.
>
>   Thanks,
>
>        Arlindo
>
>
> -- 
> Arlindo da Silva
> da...@al...
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Jennifer M. Adams
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