CVE-2003-0330 in Maelstrom
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in unknown versions of Maelstrom allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a long -player command line argument.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-0330 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within an unspecified version of the Maelstrom software application. This security weakness specifically manifests when the application processes command line arguments, particularly the -player parameter, which serves as an entry point for malicious input manipulation. The buffer overflow vulnerability occurs when user-supplied data exceeds the allocated memory space for the -player argument, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited by local attackers to gain unauthorized code execution privileges.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. In the context of Maelstrom, the flaw likely stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the command line argument parsing routine. When a local user provides an excessively long -player argument, the application fails to properly terminate or validate the input length before copying it into a fixed-size buffer, creating a predictable memory corruption scenario that can be leveraged for exploitation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to systems running affected versions of Maelstrom, as it requires only local user access to potentially escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it operates within the local system context, meaning that an attacker with basic user privileges can potentially gain elevated system access. The exploitation process typically involves crafting a specially formatted command line argument that overflows the buffer and redirects program execution flow to malicious code injected into the memory space. This type of vulnerability can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and persistent backdoor access.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including input length validation, buffer size enforcement, and proper bounds checking within the application's command line argument processing. Additionally, system administrators should consider applying vendor patches if available, implementing privilege separation mechanisms, and monitoring for suspicious command line usage patterns. The vulnerability also relates to ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, where adversaries may leverage command line interfaces to execute malicious code. Organizations should also consider deploying runtime application self-protection solutions and regular security assessments to identify similar buffer overflow vulnerabilities in other applications within their environment.