CVE-2002-0063 in CUPS
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in ippRead function of CUPS before 1.1.14 may allow attackers to execute arbitrary code via long attribute names or language values.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/30/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0063 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Internet Printing Protocol implementation of the Common Unix Printing System CUPS version 1.1.13 and earlier. This issue specifically affects the ippRead function which processes incoming IPP requests from network clients. The buffer overflow occurs when the system encounters attribute names or language values that exceed predetermined length limits, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to exploit the memory corruption vulnerability. The flaw resides in the improper bounds checking mechanism that fails to validate the length of incoming data before copying it into fixed-size buffers, directly violating fundamental security principles of input validation and memory safety.
The technical execution of this vulnerability follows a classic buffer overflow exploitation pattern where attackers can craft specially malformed IPP requests containing excessively long attribute names or language values. When the ippRead function processes these inputs without proper length verification, it copies the oversized data into stack-based buffers that are insufficiently sized to accommodate the input. This memory corruption can overwrite adjacent stack variables, return addresses, or other critical program data structures, potentially allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the CUPS daemon process. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the network level, enabling remote code execution without requiring local system access, and can be exploited through standard IPP network communication protocols.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-0063 extends beyond simple code execution to encompass complete system compromise when attackers successfully exploit the vulnerability. Since CUPS typically runs with elevated privileges to manage printing services across networked systems, successful exploitation could provide attackers with administrative control over print servers and potentially facilitate lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on CUPS for print management, particularly those with networked printing infrastructure, as it allows unauthorized users to gain code execution capabilities on print servers. This represents a significant risk to enterprise environments where print servers often serve as entry points for network reconnaissance and privilege escalation attacks, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1068 for local privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected CUPS installations to version 1.1.14 or later, which includes proper input validation and bounds checking for attribute names and language values. System administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of CUPS services to untrusted networks, while monitoring network traffic for suspicious IPP requests that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and proper memory management in network services, reinforcing CWE principles related to buffer overflow conditions and improper input validation. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed IPP requests and establish regular security assessments of print server configurations to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in other components of their printing infrastructure.