A vulnerability was found in GNU Bison up to 3.8.2. It has been rated as problematic. This issue affects the function __obstack_vprintf_internal of the file obprintf.c. The manipulation leads to reachable assertion. It is possible to launch the attack on the local host. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used.
The product contains an assert() or similar statement that can be triggered by an attacker, which leads to an application exit or other behavior that is more severe than necessary.
While assertion is good for catching logic errors and reducing the chances of reaching more serious vulnerability conditions, it can still lead to a denial of service. For example, if a server handles multiple simultaneous connections, and an assert() occurs in one single connection that causes all other connections to be dropped, this is a reachable assertion that leads to a denial of service.