CVE-2002-2075 in ICQ
Summary
by MITRE
ICQ 2001a and 2002b allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption and hang) via a contact message with a large contacts number.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-2075 affects ICQ versions 2001a and 2002b, representing a classic denial of service flaw that exploits improper input validation mechanisms within the instant messaging client. This vulnerability resides in the contact message processing functionality where the application fails to adequately validate the size and structure of contact list data received from remote peers. The flaw specifically manifests when a malicious attacker crafts a contact message containing an excessive number of contacts, which the vulnerable ICQ clients process without proper bounds checking or resource allocation limits.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient memory management and input sanitization within the ICQ client's contact list parsing routines. When the application encounters a contact message with an abnormally large contacts number, it attempts to allocate memory resources proportional to the reported contact count without implementing reasonable upper limits or validation checks. This leads to excessive memory consumption that can cause the application to either hang completely or consume all available system resources, effectively rendering the client unusable for legitimate communication purposes.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to users who may unknowingly receive malicious contact messages from compromised accounts or attackers. The impact extends beyond individual client compromise to potentially affect network stability if multiple users are simultaneously targeted, creating cascading denial of service conditions within communication networks. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or complex attack vectors, making it accessible to any attacker capable of sending messages to target users.
The flaw aligns with CWE-122, which addresses improper restriction of operations within a limited memory buffer, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-400, concerning unchecked resource consumption. From an adversary perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network disruption through resource exhaustion attacks. The vulnerability also relates to ATT&CK technique T1566.001, involving spearphishing with attachments, as attackers could potentially deliver malicious contact lists through social engineering campaigns.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper input validation and resource allocation limits within the contact message processing pipeline. System administrators should ensure that ICQ clients are updated to patched versions that include bounds checking mechanisms and memory allocation limits for contact list data. Network-level filtering can help by monitoring for unusually large contact message payloads, though this approach may not prevent all exploitation attempts. Users should be educated about the risks of accepting contact lists from untrusted sources, and organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to limit the impact of potential exploitation attempts.
The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper resource management in client-side applications and demonstrates how seemingly benign functionality can become a vector for denial of service attacks. Modern security practices would require implementing robust input validation, memory allocation limits, and automated detection mechanisms to prevent such resource exhaustion scenarios. The incident underscores the necessity of regular security updates and the importance of validating all external data inputs regardless of their source or apparent legitimacy, particularly in communication applications where user interaction with external data is frequent and unavoidable.