CVE-2003-0777 in SANE
Summary
by MITRE
saned in sane-backends 1.0.7 and earlier, when debug messages are enabled, does not properly handle dropped connections, which can prevent strings from being null terminated and cause a denial of service (segmentation fault).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-0777 resides within the saned component of sane-backends version 1.0.7 and earlier, representing a critical flaw in the scanning daemon's handling of network connections. This issue specifically manifests when debug message logging is enabled, creating a scenario where the system fails to properly manage connection termination events. The fundamental problem lies in the improper processing of dropped connections, which creates a cascade of memory management issues that ultimately lead to system instability.
The technical implementation flaw stems from inadequate string handling mechanisms within the saned daemon when connections are abruptly terminated. When debug mode is active, the system attempts to log connection status information but fails to properly null-terminate strings before processing them. This memory management oversight creates buffer overflow conditions and memory corruption scenarios that result in segmentation faults. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of improper input validation and memory safety issues, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where connections are frequently established and terminated.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant denial of service risk that can be exploited by remote attackers to crash the scanning daemon service. The segmentation fault resulting from improper string handling causes the saned process to terminate unexpectedly, effectively rendering the scanning functionality unavailable to legitimate users. This creates a service disruption that can impact document management systems, shared printing environments, and any networked scanning infrastructure relying on the sane-backends framework. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered without authentication, making it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to disrupt scanning services.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those involving service disruption and privilege escalation. The flaw can be categorized under CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read scenarios. Organizations utilizing affected versions of sane-backends should implement immediate mitigations including disabling debug logging in production environments, applying available security patches, and implementing network segmentation to limit exposure. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual service termination patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper memory management in network services and highlights the need for comprehensive input validation and error handling mechanisms in daemon processes.