CVE-2000-0426 in UltraBoard
Summary
by MITRE
UltraBoard 1.6 and other versions allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service by referencing UltraBoard in the Session parameter, which causes UltraBoard to fork copies of itself.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2000-0426 represents a classic denial of service flaw affecting UltraBoard version 1.6 and potentially other iterations of the software. This issue stems from improper input validation within the session handling mechanism of the UltraBoard application, specifically when processing the Session parameter. The flaw allows remote attackers to exploit a design weakness that leads to resource exhaustion through a simple manipulation of the session identifier parameter.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly validate or sanitize the Session parameter before processing it. When an attacker crafts a malicious request containing a specially formatted Session parameter that references UltraBoard, the system responds by forking multiple copies of itself to handle the request. This forking behavior creates a resource consumption cascade where the system rapidly spawns additional processes or threads, leading to system instability and eventual denial of service for legitimate users. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk to system availability and can be easily exploited by attackers with minimal technical expertise. The resource exhaustion caused by the forking mechanism can lead to complete system crashes, application unresponsiveness, or severe performance degradation that affects all users of the affected service. The vulnerability also represents a potential vector for larger attacks, as the denial of service condition can be used to mask other malicious activities or as part of a broader compromise strategy. Organizations relying on UltraBoard for their communication or collaboration needs face substantial risk of service disruption.
The vulnerability maps to CWE-400, which specifically addresses "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption," and can be categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1499.1, "Network Denial of Service," as it involves the exploitation of resource consumption vulnerabilities to disrupt network services. Effective mitigations include implementing proper input validation and sanitization of all session parameters, establishing resource limits and process monitoring, and applying the latest security patches from the vendor. Organizations should also consider implementing rate limiting and access controls to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability while maintaining system availability for legitimate users. Additionally, network segmentation and intrusion detection systems can help identify and block exploitation attempts before they can cause significant damage to the affected systems.