CVE-2002-1318 in Samba
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in samba 2.2.2 through 2.2.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code via an encrypted password that causes the overflow during decryption in which a DOS codepage string is converted to a little-endian UCS2 unicode string.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1318 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Samba file sharing software suite affecting versions 2.2.2 through 2.2.6. This security weakness resides in the handling of encrypted passwords during the decryption process, specifically when converting DOS codepage strings to little-endian UCS2 unicode format. The flaw occurs during the authentication phase of Samba's network communication, making it particularly dangerous for networked environments where Samba servers are deployed. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enabling remote code execution, making it a severe threat to system integrity and availability.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow stems from inadequate input validation within Samba's password handling mechanism. When an attacker submits a specially crafted encrypted password, the system attempts to convert the DOS codepage string representation into little-endian UCS2 unicode format for internal processing. This conversion process fails to properly validate the length of the input data against the allocated buffer space, resulting in memory corruption. The flaw manifests as a classic stack-based buffer overflow where the excessive data overwrites adjacent memory locations, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate program execution flow. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking permits writing beyond allocated buffer boundaries.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-1318 is substantial for organizations relying on Samba servers for file sharing and authentication services. Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability to either crash the Samba service, causing denial of service for legitimate users, or potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Samba daemon process. The attack vector requires no authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone with network access to the vulnerable system. In enterprise environments, this vulnerability could lead to complete service disruption and potential data compromise, especially when Samba servers are configured with elevated privileges or serve as domain controllers. The vulnerability's exploitation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190, which covers exploiting vulnerabilities in network services, and T1068, which involves exploiting vulnerabilities to gain system access.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to Samba versions 2.2.7 or later where this vulnerability has been patched, applying vendor-specific security updates, and implementing network segmentation to limit exposure. Additional defensive measures include configuring firewall rules to restrict access to Samba ports, monitoring for unusual authentication patterns, and implementing intrusion detection systems to detect exploitation attempts. The patch for this vulnerability specifically addresses the buffer overflow by implementing proper bounds checking during the string conversion process from DOS codepage to UCS2 unicode format. Security administrators should also consider implementing network-based protections such as IDS signatures specifically targeting this vulnerability and conducting thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any systems running affected Samba versions. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce compatibility issues with existing network services while maintaining the security posture against this critical buffer overflow vulnerability.