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CobaltApplication · Ashlar

CVE-2023-34286

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2024-05-03
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 12.0.1204.54 or later.
See remediation →
81/100
Remediation priority · High
No privileges

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt CO File Parsing Out-Of-Bounds Write Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the parsing of CO files. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in a write past the end of an allocated buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. . Was ZDI-CAN-17891.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Out-of-bounds write vulnerability in Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt's CO file parser. The parser fails to properly validate user-supplied data before writing to memory, allowing data to be written past the end of an allocated buffer. This can be triggered by opening a malicious CO file, leading to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current process.

MitigationAvoid opening untrusted or unverified CO files. Apply vendor patches when available. As a defense-in-depth measure, run the application with reduced privileges and restrict file handling permissions.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
CobaltApplication
Affected:< 12.0.1204.54

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify if Ashlar Cobalt is installed
    Search for the Ashlar Cobalt application executable (commonly named Cobalt.exe or similar) in typical installation directories such as Program Files or Program Files (x86), or use system search utilities to locate the application.
    Affected if The application executable is found on the system.
  2. Determine the installed version of Ashlar Cobalt
    Right-click the Cobalt executable, select Properties, and examine the Details tab for the Product Version field. Alternatively, check the Windows Programs and Features list for the installed version, or run the application and look for version information in its Help or About menu.
    Affected if A version number is displayed.
  3. Compare installed version to affected range
    Compare the identified version number against the affected range: any version of Ashlar Cobalt below 12.0.1204.54 is vulnerable.
    Affected if The installed version is lower than 12.0.1204.54.
  4. Assess CO file handling exposure
    Determine whether the system or user workflow involves opening CO files (typically generated by Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt or related products). Check for recent or archived CO files on the system, or identify if the Cobalt application is used in production or testing workflows.
    Affected if CO files are opened, processed, or handled by the Cobalt application.

A system is affected if Ashlar Cobalt version 12.0.1204.54 or higher is not installed AND the application processes CO files.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 12.0.1204.54 or later
Fixed in 12.0.1204.54
Interim mitigation

Avoid opening untrusted or unverified CO files. Apply vendor patches when available. As a defense-in-depth measure, run the application with reduced privileges and restrict file handling permissions.

Recommended fix High confidence

Cobalt version 12.0.1204.54 or later

  1. 1. Identify the current version of Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt installed by accessing the application's About or Help menu
  2. 2. Navigate to the official Ashlar-Vellum website or contact their support to obtain version 12.0.1204.54 or a later stable release
  3. 3. Download the updated installer for Cobalt version 12.0.1204.54 or higher
  4. 4. Back up any existing Cobalt project files (.co files) to prevent data loss
  5. 5. Run the installer and follow the on-screen prompts to upgrade Cobalt to the fixed version
  6. 6. After installation, verify the new version by checking the About section to confirm version 12.0.1204.54 or higher is now running
  7. 7. Test that previously created .co files open correctly in the upgraded application

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Cobalt Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
21.0 hours of engineering $3,680
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-34286 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data