CVE-2019-18874

psutil (python-psutil) <= 5.6.5: Double-free vulnerability due to refcount mishandling in system data conversion

• CVSS 7.5
• CWE-415 Double Free
• Memory Corruption
• Remote

psutil (aka python-psutil) through 5.6.5 can have a double free. This occurs because of refcount mishandling within a while or for loop that converts system data into a Python object.

CVE

CVE-2019-18874

CWE

CWE-415 Double Free

CVSS base score

7.5

Published

2019-11-12

OWASP

A08 Software and Data Integrity Failures

Orthogonal defect classification

Function

Code defect classification

Incorrect Functionality

Category

Memory Corruption

Subcategory

Use-After-Free Errors

Accessibility scope

Remote

Impact

Denial of Service (DoS)

Fixed by upgrading

Yes

Solution

Update psutil to version 5.6.6 or higher.

import psutil

def get_cpu_times():
    cpu_times = psutil.cpu_times()
    for _ in range(10):
        cpu_times_dict = cpu_times._asdict()
        print(cpu_times_dict)

get_cpu_times()

import psutil

def get_cpu_times():
    try:
        cpu_times = psutil.cpu_times()
        return cpu_times._asdict()
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error retrieving CPU times: {e}")
        return None

cpu_times_dict = get_cpu_times()

@misc{vaitp:cve201918874,
  title        = {{psutil (python-psutil) <= 5.6.5: Double-free vulnerability due to refcount mishandling in system data conversion}},
  author       = {Bogaerts, Fr\'ed\'eric and Ivaki, Naghmeh and Fonseca, Jos\'e},
  year         = {2019},
  note         = {VAITP Python Vulnerability Dataset, entry CVE-2019-18874},
  howpublished = {\url{https://netpack.pt/vaitp/vulnerability/CVE-2019-18874/}}
}