CVE-2002-2421 in acWEB
Summary
by MITRE
acWEB 1.14 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via an HTTP request for a MS-DOS device name such as COM2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/13/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-2421 affects acWEB version 1.14, a web application server software that processes HTTP requests. This particular flaw represents a classic input validation issue where the application fails to properly handle specific MS-DOS device names in HTTP requests. The vulnerability is classified as a denial of service condition that can be triggered remotely by malicious actors without requiring authentication or special privileges. The flaw specifically manifests when the web server receives HTTP requests containing MS-DOS device names such as COM2, which are traditionally reserved for system device communication in the Windows operating system.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the application's insufficient sanitization of input parameters within HTTP requests. When acWEB encounters a request containing MS-DOS device names like COM2, it attempts to process these identifiers as file paths or resource locators without proper validation or filtering mechanisms. This processing failure leads to a system crash or application termination, effectively causing a denial of service condition that renders the web server unavailable to legitimate users. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the network stack, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited over the network without requiring physical access to the system. This behavior aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation as a fundamental weakness in software security design.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can be leveraged to create sustained denial of service attacks against web applications running acWEB 1.14. Attackers can repeatedly send malformed HTTP requests containing device names to exhaust system resources or trigger crash conditions, potentially leading to complete system unavailability. The vulnerability affects the availability aspect of the CIA triad, compromising the web server's ability to serve legitimate requests. Given that this is a remote exploit, it can be particularly damaging as attackers can target vulnerable systems from anywhere on the network, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on this software. The attack surface is broad since any HTTP request can potentially trigger the vulnerability, and the exploitation requires minimal technical knowledge or resources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-2421 should focus on immediate patching and input validation improvements. Organizations should upgrade to newer versions of acWEB that address this specific vulnerability, as the vendor likely released security updates to resolve the input sanitization issues. Network-level mitigations can include implementing web application firewalls that filter out suspicious HTTP requests containing device names or special characters. Additionally, configuring the web server to reject or sanitize input containing MS-DOS device names can prevent exploitation. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of HTTP requests that might indicate attempted exploitation. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and input validation as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly in the context of application security controls. Organizations should implement comprehensive vulnerability management processes that include regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar issues in other applications and systems.