CVE-2002-2367 in SOCKS5
Summary
by MITRE
Off-by-one buffer overflow in NEC SOCKS5 1.0 r11 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code via a long hostname.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-2367 represents a critical off-by-one buffer overflow flaw within the NEC SOCKS5 proxy software version 1.0 r11 and earlier. This issue manifests in the handling of hostname data during SOCKS5 protocol operations, where the software fails to properly validate input length before processing. The buffer overflow occurs when the application receives a hostname that exceeds the allocated buffer space by exactly one byte, creating a condition where the overflow can be exploited to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121 which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and more broadly under CWE-787 which covers out-of-bounds write conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable remote code execution, making it a severe security concern for any network infrastructure relying on NEC SOCKS5 proxy services. When an attacker sends a specially crafted hostname that triggers the off-by-one condition, the overflow can corrupt stack memory and potentially overwrite return addresses or function pointers. This memory corruption opens the door for arbitrary code execution if the attacker can control the overwritten memory locations to redirect program execution flow. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication, as the SOCKS5 protocol is designed for network communication and the buffer overflow occurs during normal hostname resolution operations.
From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 which describes exploitation of software vulnerabilities for privilege escalation and code execution. The attack surface is particularly concerning because SOCKS5 proxies are commonly deployed in enterprise environments to provide secure network access and traffic filtering. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to internal network resources that the proxy is designed to protect. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers need not have physical access to the system or network, making it a significant threat to organizations that deploy NEC SOCKS5 services in their network infrastructure. The fact that this vulnerability affects versions 1.0 r11 and earlier indicates it was present for several years without proper patching, highlighting the importance of regular security updates and vulnerability management programs.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of the NEC SOCKS5 software, implementing network segmentation to limit access to proxy services, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious hostname patterns. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of input validation and proper bounds checking in network services, particularly those handling user-provided data such as hostnames. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all SOCKS5 implementations and similar network services to identify potential buffer overflow conditions. Additionally, implementing network access controls and monitoring for unusual hostname lengths can provide early detection of exploitation attempts, while regular security audits should verify that all network infrastructure components have been updated to address known vulnerabilities.