CVE-2000-0675 in GateKeeper
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Infopulse Gatekeeper 3.5 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a long string.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2000-0675 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw affecting Infopulse Gatekeeper versions 3.5 and earlier. This security weakness resides within the software's handling of input data, specifically when processing user-supplied strings that exceed predetermined buffer limits. The vulnerability manifests when the application receives a malformed input string that surpasses the allocated memory space, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited by malicious actors. The buffer overflow occurs during the processing of network requests or user inputs, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where remote exploitation is possible.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices within the Infopulse Gatekeeper software. When a remote attacker sends a specially crafted string exceeding the buffer capacity, the application fails to properly terminate or truncate the input data, causing adjacent memory locations to be overwritten. This memory corruption can potentially overwrite critical program execution pointers, return addresses, or function variables, enabling attackers to redirect program flow and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected service. The flaw operates at the application layer, exploiting weaknesses in the software's defensive mechanisms against malformed input data.
The operational impact of CVE-2000-0675 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it provides attackers with complete system compromise capabilities. Remote exploitation allows malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to systems running vulnerable versions of Infopulse Gatekeeper, potentially leading to data theft, system takeover, or use as a launching point for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability affects network security appliances and gateways that rely on this software, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that depend on these systems for perimeter security. Attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access, escalate privileges, or deploy additional malware payloads without requiring local system access or authentication credentials.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate software updates and patches from the vendor, as the flaw exists in legacy versions of the software that are no longer supported. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure, while also monitoring network traffic for suspicious patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of how inadequate input validation can lead to remote code execution. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability would map to techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under initial access and execution phases, specifically targeting network services and system binaries. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts and maintain comprehensive incident response procedures to address potential compromises. The remediation process requires careful testing of patches to ensure compatibility with existing network infrastructure while maintaining security postures against this well-known vulnerability.