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Netwide Assembler CVE-2017-17819

MEDIUM
NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476)
2017-12-21 cve@mitre.org
5.5
CVSS 3.0 · NVD
View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A10:2025 - Mishandling of Exceptional Conditions
ASVS 5.0
V16 - Security Logging and Error Handling Null pointer safety, defensive checks
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Impact

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Impact

CVSS score of 5.5 (MEDIUM). Attack characteristics: local attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required. Public proof-of-concept exploit code is available. EPSS exploitation probability: 0.20%.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A local attacker with access to the system could crash the application by dereferencing a null pointer. No authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 0.2% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

In Netwide Assembler (NASM) 2.14rc0, there is an illegal address access in the function find_cc() in asm/preproc.c that will cause a remote denial of service attack, because pointers associated with. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available.

RemediationAI

A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Check pointers before dereferencing. Use static analysis tools to detect null pointer paths.

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified as NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476), which allows attackers to crash the application by dereferencing a null pointer. In Netwide Assembler (NASM) 2.14rc0, there is an illegal address access in the function find_cc() in asm/preproc.c that will cause a remote denial of service attack, because pointers associated with skip_white_ calls are not validated. Affected products include: Nasm Netwide Assembler, Canonical Ubuntu Linux.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 5.5 MEDIUM
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

DescriptionCVE.org

In Netwide Assembler (NASM) 2.14rc0, there is an illegal address access in the function find_cc() in asm/preproc.c that will cause a remote denial of service attack, because pointers associated with skip_white_ calls are not validated.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.2%
Top 59% exploitable
Exploit
POC
Public exploit code exists
Data Quality
3 sources
Confidence: Low

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC Yes
EPSS 0.2%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
Poc
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

48
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +28
PoC: +20
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

A null pointer dereference occurs when a program attempts to access memory through a pointer that has been set to NULL (address 0x0).

Denial of Service attacks render applications or systems unavailable by overwhelming resources or triggering failure conditions.

Affected Products (CPE)CVE.org

cpe:2.3:a:nasm:netwide_assembler:2.14:rc0:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
CVE-2020-24978 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Sep 04

In NASM 2.15.04rc3, there is a double-free vulnerability in pp_tokline asm/preproc.c. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8)

CVE-2017-10686 HIGH POC
7.8 Jun 29

In Netwide Assembler (NASM) 2.14rc0, there are multiple heap use after free vulnerabilities in the tool nasm. Rated high

CVE-2023-31722 HIGH POC
7.8 May 17

There exists a heap buffer overflow in nasm 2.16.02rc1 (GitHub commit: b952891). Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vu

CVE-2019-8343 HIGH POC
7.8 Feb 15

In Netwide Assembler (NASM) 2.14.02, there is a use-after-free in paste_tokens in asm/preproc.c. Rated high severity (CV

CVE-2018-19216 HIGH POC
7.8 Nov 12

Netwide Assembler (NASM) before 2.13.02 has a use-after-free in detoken at asm/preproc.c. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8)

CVE-2018-19215 HIGH POC
7.8 Nov 12

Netwide Assembler (NASM) 2.14rc16 has a heap-based buffer over-read in expand_mmac_params in asm/preproc.c for the speci

CVE-2018-19214 HIGH POC
7.8 Nov 12

Netwide Assembler (NASM) 2.14rc15 has a heap-based buffer over-read in expand_mmac_params in asm/preproc.c for insuffici

CVE-2018-10254 HIGH POC
7.8 Apr 21

Netwide Assembler (NASM) 2.13 has a stack-based buffer over-read in the disasm function of the disasm/disasm.c file. Rat

CVE-2017-17818 HIGH POC
7.5 Dec 21

In Netwide Assembler (NASM) 2.14rc0, there is a heap-based buffer over-read that will cause a remote denial of service a

CVE-2017-17815 MEDIUM POC
5.5 Dec 21

In Netwide Assembler (NASM) 2.14rc0, there is an illegal address access in is_mmacro() in asm/preproc.c that will cause

CVE-2017-17812 MEDIUM POC
5.5 Dec 21

In Netwide Assembler (NASM) 2.14rc0, there is a heap-based buffer over-read in the function detoken() in asm/preproc.c t

CVE-2017-17810 MEDIUM POC
5.5 Dec 21

In Netwide Assembler (NASM) 2.14rc0, there is a "SEGV on unknown address" that will cause a remote denial of service att

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