CVE-2003-1159 in Web Server Proxy
Summary
by MITRE
Plug and Play Web Server Proxy 1.0002c allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (server crash) via an invalid URI in an HTTP GET request to TCP port 8080.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/15/2014
The vulnerability described in CVE-2003-1159 affects the Plug and Play Web Server Proxy version 1.0002c, which represents a critical security flaw in network infrastructure software designed to facilitate web proxy operations. This particular implementation exhibits a significant weakness in its handling of HTTP requests, specifically targeting the processing of Uniform Resource Identifiers within GET requests. The affected system operates on TCP port 8080, which serves as the primary communication channel for the proxy service, making it a prime target for exploitation by malicious actors seeking to disrupt service availability.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the proxy server's HTTP request parsing logic. When the system receives an HTTP GET request containing an invalid URI, the parsing routine fails to properly handle malformed or unexpected URI structures, leading to a catastrophic failure in the server process. This vulnerability operates at the application layer of the network stack, specifically targeting the HTTP protocol implementation within the proxy server software. The lack of proper error handling and input sanitization creates a condition where malformed URI data can trigger memory corruption or stack overflow scenarios that ultimately result in the complete server crash.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it represents a potential vector for more sophisticated attacks within the context of network infrastructure security. An attacker exploiting this weakness can systematically cause repeated service interruptions, effectively rendering the proxy server unavailable to legitimate users while potentially creating opportunities for further reconnaissance or exploitation of the underlying network environment. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access or local network privileges to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the proxy server serves as a critical component of network traffic management. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks, where adversaries leverage system weaknesses to disrupt availability of network services.
The root cause of this vulnerability can be mapped to CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input boundaries, and CWE-20, which covers input validation vulnerabilities that can lead to various security issues including crashes and system instability. The proxy server's failure to implement proper URI validation and exception handling creates a pathway for malformed data to propagate through the system's processing pipeline, ultimately resulting in the server crash. Organizations utilizing this specific version of the Plug and Play Web Server Proxy should consider implementing immediate mitigations, including network segmentation to limit access to the vulnerable port, implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious HTTP GET requests, and applying the latest available patches or upgrading to a more secure version of the proxy software. Additionally, defensive measures should include configuring the proxy server to log and analyze HTTP request patterns to identify potential exploitation attempts and establish baseline behavior for normal operations.
The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation and error handling in network services, particularly those that operate in high-availability environments where service disruption can have significant business impact. Legacy systems such as this version of the Plug and Play Web Server Proxy often lack modern security hardening features, making them susceptible to exploitation of fundamental implementation flaws. The attack vector's simplicity and effectiveness highlight the need for comprehensive security testing of network infrastructure components, particularly those that handle external communications and user requests. Organizations should conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar weaknesses in their network infrastructure and ensure that all systems maintain current security patches and configurations to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.