CVE-2003-1267 in GuildFTPd
Summary
by MITRE
GuildFTPd 0.999 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a GET request for MS-DOS device names such as lpt1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-1267 affects GuildFTPd version 0.999, a file transfer protocol server implementation that operates within network environments where file access and data transfer are critical operations. This specific flaw represents a denial of service condition that can be triggered remotely by malicious actors exploiting the server's handling of certain file path requests. The vulnerability specifically targets how the FTP server processes requests for MS-DOS device names, which are legacy identifiers used in older operating systems to reference hardware devices such as parallel ports and serial ports.
The technical exploitation mechanism involves sending a GET request to the FTP server that includes MS-DOS device names such as lpt1, which are typically reserved for hardware device access in legacy systems. When the GuildFTPd server receives such a request, it fails to properly validate or sanitize the input, leading to a crash of the service. This occurs because the server attempts to process these device names as if they were regular file paths, resulting in an unhandled exception that causes the application to terminate unexpectedly. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation and inadequate error handling within the server's file access routines, creating a condition where malformed requests can directly impact system availability.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to organizations relying on GuildFTPd for file transfer operations, as it allows remote attackers to disrupt services without requiring authentication or privileged access. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption, as the crash can potentially affect ongoing file transfers, user sessions, and overall network availability. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a classic example of a buffer overflow or exception handling flaw that can be exploited to achieve denial of service. Network administrators and security professionals must consider this vulnerability as part of their risk assessment frameworks, particularly in environments where legacy FTP servers remain operational.
The attack pattern associated with CVE-2003-1267 follows established methodologies described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1499 category for network denial of service, where adversaries exploit weaknesses in network services to disrupt availability. This vulnerability can be classified as a low-complexity remote attack that requires minimal resources to execute, making it particularly dangerous in environments where automated scanning tools might identify and exploit such flaws. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of GuildFTPd, implementing network segmentation to limit exposure, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious FTP traffic patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and conducting regular vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in legacy systems that continue to operate in enterprise environments.