CVE-2002-1026 in Sitespring
Summary
by MITRE
Macromedia Sitespring 1.2.0 (277.1) using Sybase runtime engine 7.0.2.1480 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a long malformed request to TCP port 2500, possibly triggering a buffer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/10/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1026 represents a critical security flaw in Macromedia Sitespring 1.2.0 version 277.1 which utilizes Sybase runtime engine 7.0.2.1480. This issue manifests as a remote denial of service condition that can be triggered by sending a specially crafted malformed request to the application's TCP port 2500. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the application's handling of network requests, specifically when processing data structures that exceed expected buffer sizes. The affected system operates as a web application server that processes incoming requests through its Sybase database integration layer, creating a potential attack vector that can be exploited from remote locations without requiring authentication or prior access to the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a buffer overflow condition that occurs when the application receives a request containing an abnormally long data payload that exceeds the allocated memory buffer space. This overflow condition causes the application process to terminate unexpectedly, resulting in a complete service disruption that renders the Sitespring application unavailable to legitimate users. The flaw specifically affects the TCP port 2500 which serves as the primary communication channel for the application's runtime engine, making it a direct target for exploitation. The Sybase runtime engine component amplifies the impact by failing to properly validate incoming data lengths before processing, allowing malicious input to overwrite adjacent memory segments and corrupt the application's execution state.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on Macromedia Sitespring for their web application infrastructure. The remote exploit capability means that attackers can initiate the denial of service attack from anywhere on the network, potentially causing widespread service disruption without requiring physical access or complex authentication bypasses. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption as the application crash can potentially lead to data loss or corruption in the underlying Sybase database, depending on the timing and nature of the attack. Organizations using this vulnerable version may experience extended downtime while system administrators work to restore service, potentially affecting business operations and customer access to web applications hosted on the affected platform.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the affected Macromedia Sitespring application to version 1.2.1 or later, which includes proper input validation and buffer management fixes. Network-level protections such as firewall rules that restrict access to TCP port 2500 to trusted IP addresses can provide temporary mitigation while permanent solutions are implemented. Additionally, implementing intrusion detection systems that monitor for unusual request patterns or malformed data sequences on port 2500 can help detect 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 denial of service attacks. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique for network denial of service, where adversaries leverage application-level flaws to disrupt service availability. Organizations should also consider implementing application-level firewalls or web application firewalls that can filter malicious requests before they reach the vulnerable application components, providing an additional layer of defense against such attacks.