CVE-2002-1035 in OmniHTTPD
Summary
by MITRE
Omnicron OmniHTTPd 2.09 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via an HTTP request with a long, malformed HTTP 1version number.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/10/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1035 affects Omnicron OmniHTTPd version 2.09, a web server implementation that was widely used in enterprise environments during the early 2000s. This particular flaw represents a classic buffer overflow condition that occurs when the web server processes malformed HTTP version identifiers in client requests. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the HTTP request parsing logic, specifically when handling the HTTP version field that typically appears at the beginning of HTTP requests following the format HTTP/1.1 or HTTP/1.0. When an attacker crafts a malicious HTTP request containing an excessively long version number, the web server's parsing routine fails to properly handle the oversized input, leading to memory corruption that ultimately results in application crash and system unavailability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting HTTP requests with malformed version strings that exceed the expected buffer size allocated for version field processing. According to CWE-122, this represents a buffer overflow condition where insufficient bounds checking allows an attacker to write beyond allocated memory boundaries. The flaw operates at the application layer of the network stack, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no authentication or special privileges to exploit. The vulnerability is classified under the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service, specifically targeting the service availability aspect of the attack surface. When the malformed HTTP version string is processed, the web server's memory management routines become corrupted, causing the application to terminate unexpectedly and restart, effectively creating a denial of service condition that disrupts legitimate user access to web services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass broader security implications for organizations relying on OmniHTTPd for their web infrastructure. System administrators face the challenge of maintaining service availability while dealing with the unpredictable nature of such attacks, as the crash can occur at any time when processing malformed requests. The vulnerability affects not only the immediate web server functionality but can also impact downstream systems that depend on consistent service availability. Organizations may experience increased operational overhead due to the need for constant monitoring and emergency response procedures when such attacks occur. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it can be executed remotely without requiring any prior access to the system, making it a preferred target for automated scanning tools and opportunistic attackers. The vulnerability's persistence in the web server's parsing logic means that even minor modifications to HTTP requests can trigger the same crash condition, making it difficult to implement effective rate limiting or request filtering mechanisms that might otherwise provide protection.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-1035 should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary solution involves applying the vendor-provided patch or upgrading to a newer version of OmniHTTPd that addresses the buffer overflow condition in HTTP version parsing. Organizations should also implement network-level protections such as intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed HTTP requests before they reach the vulnerable web server. Additionally, configuring web application firewalls to filter out requests with suspiciously long version fields provides an additional layer of defense. The implementation of proper input validation and bounds checking in all HTTP request processing components helps prevent similar vulnerabilities from manifesting in other applications. Organizations should also consider implementing redundant web server configurations and load balancing to minimize the impact of single-point failures caused by such vulnerabilities. According to industry best practices and security frameworks, this vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security assessments and patch management procedures that can prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities in legacy systems.