CVE-2003-0236 in ICQ
Summary
by MITRE
Integer signedness errors in the POP3 client for Mirabilis ICQ Pro 2003a allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via the (1) Subject or (2) Date headers.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-0236 represents a critical integer signedness error within the POP3 client implementation of Mirabilis ICQ Pro 2003a software. This flaw exists in the handling of email message headers during the POP3 protocol processing phase, specifically affecting how the application interprets and processes the Subject and Date header fields. The issue stems from improper validation of integer values when parsing incoming email data, creating a condition where signed integer variables are incorrectly treated as unsigned, leading to potential buffer overflow conditions. Such vulnerabilities fall under the CWE-190 category of integer overflow and under CWE-129 for improper validation of array indices or buffer limits.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a remote attacker crafts malicious email messages containing specially formatted Subject or Date headers that trigger the integer signedness error. When the ICQ Pro client processes these malformed headers, the incorrect integer handling causes memory allocation calculations to produce unexpected values that can exceed buffer boundaries. This memory corruption enables attackers to manipulate the execution flow of the application through stack smashing or heap corruption techniques, ultimately allowing for arbitrary code execution on the target system. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 by leveraging application vulnerabilities to gain code execution privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it provides attackers with a pathway to compromise systems running the vulnerable ICQ client software. The attack vector requires only that a user receive and process a malicious email message through the ICQ client, making it particularly dangerous in corporate environments where email filtering may not prevent such attacks. The vulnerability affects the POP3 client functionality specifically, meaning that any email received through POP3 protocol could potentially trigger the exploit, regardless of whether the email content itself is malicious beyond the header manipulation. This makes the attack surface particularly broad given the widespread use of POP3 email protocols at the time of the vulnerability discovery.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2003-0236 require immediate software updates from Mirabilis to address the integer signedness handling in the POP3 client implementation. Organizations should also implement email filtering solutions that can detect and block malformed email headers before they reach the ICQ client, though this approach may not be sufficient given the nature of the vulnerability. Network administrators should consider disabling POP3 access for ICQ clients if the software is not actively required, and implementing monitoring for unusual POP3 activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper integer handling in security-critical applications and serves as a reminder of the potential consequences of inadequate input validation in protocol implementations. System administrators should also consider deploying intrusion detection systems capable of identifying patterns associated with buffer overflow exploitation attempts.