CVE-2003-1207 in FTP Server
Summary
by MITRE
Crob FTP Server 3.5.1 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (crash) via a dir command with a large number of "." characters followed by a "/*" string.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-1207 affects Crob FTP Server version 3.5.1 and represents a classic denial of service flaw that exploits improper input validation in the server's directory listing functionality. This issue arises when authenticated remote users send a specially crafted dir command containing an excessive number of period characters followed by a forward slash and asterisk pattern. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-129, which encompasses improper validation of array indices and other input validation weaknesses that can lead to buffer overflows or resource exhaustion conditions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the server's handling of directory listing commands without adequate bounds checking or input sanitization. When the FTP server processes the malicious dir command containing numerous "." characters followed by "/*", it fails to properly validate the length and structure of the input string before attempting to process it. This lack of input validation creates a condition where the server's internal buffers or processing mechanisms become overwhelmed or corrupted, leading to an application crash that effectively denies service to legitimate users.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to organizations relying on Crob FTP Server for file transfer operations. The attack requires only authenticated access, meaning that an attacker who has obtained valid credentials can trigger the denial of service condition at will. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it can be used to systematically degrade server performance, potentially leading to complete service unavailability and requiring manual intervention to restore normal operations. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks through resource exhaustion.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the affected FTP server software to address the input validation flaw. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual patterns in FTP command usage that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, access controls should be strengthened to limit the number of authenticated users with administrative privileges and implement rate limiting for directory listing commands to prevent abuse. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and buffer management in network services, particularly those handling user-supplied data in protocol implementations. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their file transfer infrastructure to identify similar validation flaws that could be exploited for similar denial of service conditions.