CVE-2001-0703 in Internet Store
Summary
by MITRE
tradecli.dll in Arcadia Internet Store 1.0 allows a remote attacker to cause a denial of service via a URL request with an MS-DOS device name in the template parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0703 resides within the tradecli.dll component of Arcadia Internet Store version 1.0, representing a classic denial of service weakness that exploits improper input validation mechanisms. This flaw specifically manifests when the application processes URL requests containing MS-DOS device names within the template parameter, creating a condition where legitimate service operations can be disrupted through carefully crafted malicious input. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize or validate user-supplied data before processing, allowing attackers to inject device names such as con, prn, aux, nul, and com1 through com9 that are reserved in the MS-DOS filesystem. This issue falls under the category of improper input validation as classified by CWE-20, which encompasses a broad range of vulnerabilities resulting from inadequate sanitization of input data. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it operates over a network connection, enabling remote exploitation without requiring local system access or authentication credentials. When the vulnerable application encounters these device names in the template parameter, it attempts to process them as if they were legitimate file paths or template variables, leading to system resource exhaustion or application crashes that effectively deny service to legitimate users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromising the overall stability and availability of the web application. In a production environment, this weakness could enable attackers to repeatedly initiate denial of service conditions by submitting multiple malformed requests containing device names, causing the application to consume excessive CPU cycles or memory resources while attempting to process invalid inputs. The affected system may experience complete service unavailability, forcing legitimate customers to be unable to access the online store and potentially resulting in financial losses due to extended downtime. This vulnerability represents a particularly insidious threat because it can be exploited through simple HTTP GET requests, making it accessible to attackers with minimal technical expertise. The flaw demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where the application lacks proper input filtering mechanisms that should have been implemented to prevent the processing of reserved device names. From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which involves network denial of service attacks, and more specifically with T1595.001 related to reconnaissance for vulnerabilities, as attackers can easily identify and exploit this weakness through automated scanning tools.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and sanitization measures that prevent the processing of reserved MS-DOS device names within template parameters. System administrators should immediately apply vendor patches or updates if available, as this vulnerability was likely addressed in subsequent versions of the Arcadia Internet Store software. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can be configured to detect and block requests containing known device names in template parameters, providing an additional layer of defense. The implementation of proper input validation should include whitelisting acceptable characters and patterns for template parameters, rejecting any input that contains reserved device names or suspicious file path sequences. Additionally, developers should adopt secure coding practices that incorporate input sanitization at multiple layers of the application architecture, ensuring that user-supplied data is thoroughly validated before any processing occurs. Organizations should also implement monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect unusual patterns of requests that may indicate exploitation attempts, enabling rapid response to potential attacks. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of addressing legacy software components that may contain unpatched security flaws, as these often represent the most accessible attack vectors for adversaries seeking to compromise web applications.