CVE-2004-0226 in Midnight Commander
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in Midnight Commander (mc) before 4.6.0 may allow attackers to cause a denial of service or execute arbitrary code.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/28/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0226 affects Midnight Commander, a popular text-based file manager for Unix-like systems that has been widely used since the 1990s. This critical flaw exists in versions prior to 4.6.0 and represents a significant security risk due to its potential to enable remote code execution or denial of service attacks. The vulnerability manifests through multiple buffer overflow conditions that occur when the application processes certain input data, particularly in its handling of file names, directory listings, and user-provided data structures.
These buffer overflow conditions arise from inadequate input validation and bounds checking within the Midnight Commander's core processing functions. The flaw occurs when the application attempts to copy or manipulate data into fixed-size memory buffers without proper verification of input length or content. This classic programming error allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow or injecting malicious code. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited through various attack vectors including malformed file names, directory listings, or network-based inputs that the application processes during normal operation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to include full system compromise when exploited successfully. An attacker who can trigger one of these buffer overflows could potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running Midnight Commander, which could range from standard user accounts to privileged system processes depending on how the application is deployed. The vulnerability affects systems where Midnight Commander is installed and accessible to untrusted users, making it particularly concerning for multi-user environments, web-based file management systems, or applications that process user-supplied file data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching to version 4.6.0 or later, which includes proper bounds checking and input validation mechanisms. System administrators should also implement additional security controls such as restricting access to the application, monitoring for suspicious file operations, and ensuring that user-provided data is properly sanitized before processing. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a common attack pattern that maps to several ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation and execution through command injection. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure, as well as conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other legacy applications that may be susceptible to similar buffer overflow conditions.