CVE-2003-1032 in Pi3Web
Summary
by MITRE
Pi3Web web server 2.0.2 Beta 1, when the Directory Index is configured to use the "Name" column and sort using the column title as a hyperlink, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a malformed URL to the web server, possibly involving a buffer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-1032 affects Pi3Web web server version 2.0.2 Beta 1, representing a critical security flaw that can be exploited to cause remote denial of service conditions. This issue specifically manifests when the server is configured to display directory listings using the "Name" column sorting mechanism where column titles are rendered as hyperlinks. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and buffer management within the web server's directory indexing functionality, creating a potential attack vector that can be leveraged by remote adversaries to crash the service.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability operates through a buffer overflow condition that occurs when processing malformed URLs directed at the affected web server. When a user navigates to a directory listing page where the "Name" column is configured as a hyperlink for sorting, the server fails to properly validate the length and structure of URL parameters. This validation failure allows an attacker to craft specially malformed URLs that exceed the allocated buffer space, causing memory corruption and subsequent server crash. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, which represents a well-known weakness in software development practices where fixed-size buffers are not properly checked against input lengths.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially enable more sophisticated attack scenarios. While the immediate effect is a denial of service condition that crashes the web server, the underlying buffer overflow vulnerability could theoretically be exploited to execute arbitrary code on the affected system, depending on the server's configuration and memory layout. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where the web server serves critical business applications or hosts sensitive data. The vulnerability affects systems running Pi3Web version 2.0.2 Beta 1, which was released during an era when web server security practices were less mature and comprehensive input validation was not yet a standard development requirement.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2003-1032 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected web server software to the latest stable release that addresses the buffer overflow condition. Organizations should also implement network-level restrictions to limit access to directory listing functionality where possible, particularly when the "Name" column sorting feature is enabled. Security administrators should consider disabling directory indexing entirely if it is not essential for business operations, as this removes the attack surface entirely. Additionally, implementing proper input validation measures at the web server level and monitoring for unusual URL patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service and represents a classic example of how inadequate memory management in web server applications can create exploitable conditions that affect availability and potentially system integrity.