CVE-2003-0441 in orville-write
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in Orville Write (orville-write) 2.53 and earlier allow local users to gain privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/23/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-0441 represents a critical security flaw affecting Orville Write version 2.53 and earlier installations. This word processing application, while seemingly benign, contains multiple buffer overflow conditions that can be exploited by local attackers to escalate their privileges within the system. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices within the software's codebase, creating opportunities for malicious code execution that can fundamentally compromise system integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves buffer overflow conditions that occur when the application processes user input without proper bounds checking. These overflow scenarios typically manifest during text processing operations, file handling, or configuration parsing within the Orville Write environment. The buffer overflows can be triggered through carefully crafted input sequences that exceed the allocated memory buffers, causing adjacent memory regions to be overwritten. This memory corruption can be manipulated to redirect program execution flow, potentially allowing attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as stack-based buffer overflow conditions, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite stack data and potentially execute malicious code.
The operational impact of this privilege escalation vulnerability extends beyond simple local exploitation, as it can enable attackers to gain elevated system privileges that would otherwise require legitimate administrative access. Once exploited, local users can potentially execute code with the privileges of the target process, which often runs with elevated permissions due to the nature of system-level applications. This capability allows attackers to modify system files, install malicious software, create new user accounts, or even completely compromise the system's integrity. The vulnerability's local nature means that attackers do not require network access or remote exploitation capabilities, making it particularly dangerous in environments where local access is possible.
From a defensive perspective, mitigation strategies should focus on immediate remediation through software updates to versions that address the buffer overflow conditions. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management protocols to ensure all instances of Orville Write are updated to secure versions. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing privilege separation mechanisms and restricting local user access to applications that contain known vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically leveraging software vulnerabilities for local privilege escalation. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual process execution patterns and memory access violations that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security audits of legacy applications and proper input validation testing should be implemented to identify similar vulnerabilities in other software components.