CVE-2000-0677 in Net.Data
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in IBM Net.Data db2www CGI program allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a long PATH_INFO environmental variable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2000-0677 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within IBM Net.Data's db2www CGI program that operates as a web server component for handling database requests. This specific implementation weakness exists in the processing of the PATH_INFO environmental variable, which serves as a standard mechanism for web servers to pass additional path information to CGI scripts. The flaw manifests when the web server receives a request with an excessively long PATH_INFO parameter, causing the program to overwrite adjacent memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite critical memory segments including return addresses and program execution flow control structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple denial of service conditions, as it enables remote code execution capabilities that can be leveraged by malicious actors to gain complete control over the affected system. When an attacker crafts a malicious HTTP request containing an oversized PATH_INFO parameter, the buffer overflow corrupts the program's execution stack, potentially allowing the attacker to inject and execute arbitrary machine code within the context of the web server process. This presents a severe security risk since the web server typically operates with elevated privileges to access database resources and system files. The vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1203 category for Exploitation for Execution, where adversaries exploit software vulnerabilities to execute malicious code remotely without requiring local system access.
Systems running IBM Net.Data versions prior to the patched release remain particularly vulnerable as the flaw exists in the core CGI processing mechanism that handles all database web requests. The attack surface is broad since any web application utilizing the db2www CGI interface becomes susceptible to this exploitation vector, particularly when deployed in environments where external network access is permitted to database web interfaces. Organizations that have not implemented proper input validation or security hardening measures face significant risk of unauthorized access to backend databases and potential system compromise. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper buffer management in network-facing applications and highlights the necessity of implementing robust input validation controls to prevent memory corruption attacks. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected systems, implementation of web application firewalls to filter suspicious PATH_INFO parameters, and deployment of input sanitization measures that enforce reasonable length limits on environmental variables. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing network segmentation to limit access to database web interfaces and establish monitoring protocols to detect anomalous request patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.