CVE-2002-1957 in Pen
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the netlog function in pen.c for Pen 0.9.1 and 0.9.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via malformed log messages.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1957 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the pen network tool version 091 and 092. This issue resides in the netlog function implementation within the pen.c source file, where insufficient input validation and boundary checking permits malicious actors to exploit the software through carefully crafted log messages. The flaw specifically manifests when the application processes malformed log data, creating an opportunity for remote code execution that can be leveraged by attackers positioned outside the local network.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient boundary checks allow attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The technical implementation flaw occurs in the pen tool's logging mechanism where character buffers are not properly sized or validated before accepting input from network sources. When the netlog function receives malformed log messages containing excessive data, it fails to enforce proper buffer limits, enabling attackers to overwrite critical program memory including return addresses and function pointers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it allows for complete system compromise through remote code execution. Attackers can craft malicious log messages that, when processed by the vulnerable pen application, trigger the buffer overflow condition and subsequently execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the affected service. This creates a significant risk for network infrastructure services that rely on pen for logging operations, particularly in environments where logging data originates from untrusted sources. The vulnerability affects systems where pen is deployed as a network logging daemon, making it particularly dangerous for network monitoring and security auditing platforms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-1957 should prioritize immediate patching of affected pen versions to 093 or later, which contain fixed buffer handling implementations. Network administrators should implement input validation measures at network boundaries to filter malformed log messages before they reach the vulnerable application. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by running the pen service with minimal required permissions and implementing network segmentation to limit attack surface. Security monitoring should include detection of anomalous log message patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts, while regular vulnerability assessments should verify that no other applications within the network infrastructure contain similar buffer overflow flaws. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, as exploitation requires successful execution of arbitrary commands on the target system through the buffer overflow mechanism.