CVE-2004-0247 in Chaser Server
Summary
by MITRE
The client and server of Chaser 1.50 and earlier allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash via exception) via a UDP packet with a length field that is greater than the actual data length, which causes Chaser to read unexpected memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0247 affects the Chaser software version 1.50 and earlier, specifically targeting both client and server implementations. This issue represents a classic buffer overflow condition that manifests through improper handling of network packet structures. The flaw occurs when the software processes UDP packets containing malformed length fields that exceed the actual data payload, creating a scenario where the application attempts to read memory beyond the allocated buffer boundaries.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 weakness category, specifically addressing improper validation of input boundaries within network protocols. The technical implementation involves the software's failure to properly validate the relationship between the UDP packet length field and the actual data contained within the packet. When an attacker crafts a UDP packet with a length field indicating more data than is actually present, the Chaser application attempts to process this malformed data structure, leading to memory access violations and subsequent application crashes. The root cause lies in the absence of proper bounds checking mechanisms that should validate packet integrity before processing.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it provides remote attackers with a reliable method to cause denial of service conditions within the Chaser environment. This vulnerability can be exploited without authentication requirements, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where the software operates. The crash condition occurs during the packet processing phase, effectively allowing attackers to terminate legitimate service operations and potentially disrupt communication channels that depend on Chaser functionality. The memory access violations can also potentially expose system stability issues, as the application may not recover gracefully from such exceptions.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1498, which describes denial of service attacks that compromise availability. The exploitation pathway demonstrates how malformed network traffic can be leveraged to compromise system availability, representing a fundamental weakness in protocol handling implementations. Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust input validation mechanisms that enforce proper bounds checking for all network packet fields. System administrators should prioritize updating to patched versions of Chaser software, as the vulnerability affects core protocol handling functionality. Additionally, network segmentation and intrusion detection systems can help monitor for suspicious UDP traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of defensive programming practices and proper error handling in network applications, emphasizing that all external input must be validated before processing to prevent memory corruption scenarios.