CVE-2003-1198 in Web Server
Summary
by MITRE
connection.c in Cherokee web server before 0.4.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via an HTTP POST request without a Content-Length header field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2003-1198 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the Cherokee web server software version 0.4.5 and earlier. This issue stems from the server's inadequate handling of HTTP POST requests that lack the mandatory Content-Length header field. The Cherokee web server, known for its lightweight architecture and support for various protocols including HTTP and HTTPS, failed to properly validate incoming request parameters during the connection processing phase. When a remote attacker submits a POST request without specifying the Content-Length header, the server's connection.c module does not implement proper error handling or request validation mechanisms, leading to unexpected behavior and potential system instability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully crafted HTTP POST request that omits the Content-Length header field entirely. According to CWE-400, this represents a weakness in input validation where the system fails to properly handle missing or malformed request parameters. The absence of the Content-Length header forces the web server to attempt processing a request without knowing the expected payload size, creating a condition where the server's memory management and buffer handling routines become unpredictable. The connection.c module in Cherokee's source code contains a logic flow that assumes all POST requests will include this essential header, and when this assumption fails, the server enters an undefined state that can lead to resource exhaustion or complete service disruption. This flaw falls under the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service, where attackers leverage protocol implementation weaknesses to consume server resources or cause application crashes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption, as it can be exploited repeatedly to maintain persistent denial of service conditions against targeted Cherokee servers. Attackers can craft multiple POST requests without Content-Length headers to overwhelm the server's connection handling capabilities, potentially causing memory leaks, thread exhaustion, or complete server crashes. The vulnerability affects systems running Cherokee web server versions prior to 0.4.6, making it particularly concerning for organizations that maintain older software versions or have not implemented proper patch management procedures. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental lack of robust error handling in the web server's core components, where the absence of proper input validation leads to cascading failures in the server's operational integrity. Organizations utilizing Cherokee web servers in production environments face significant risk from this vulnerability, as it can be exploited by anyone with network access to the affected server, making it a high-severity threat that requires immediate attention and remediation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2003-1198 should focus on immediate patching of the Cherokee web server to version 0.4.6 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for proper Content-Length header validation. System administrators should implement network-level protections such as intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed HTTP requests, particularly those lacking Content-Length headers in POST requests. Additionally, configuring web application firewalls to enforce proper HTTP protocol compliance can provide an additional layer of defense against exploitation attempts. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected Cherokee versions and ensure comprehensive patch management policies are in place to prevent similar issues in the future. The fix implemented in version 0.4.6 addresses the root cause by adding proper validation checks in the connection.c module, ensuring that the server gracefully handles requests with missing Content-Length headers rather than entering an unstable state that leads to denial of service conditions.