CVE-2004-0444 in Norton Internet Security
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple vulnerabilities in SYMDNS.SYS for Symantec Norton Internet Security and Professional 2002 through 2004, Norton Personal Firewall 2002 through 2004, Norton AntiSpam 2004, Client Firewall 5.01 and 5.1.1, and Client Security 1.0 through 2.0 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service or execute arbitrary code via (1) a manipulated length byte in the first-level decoding routine for NetBIOS Name Service (NBNS) that modifies an index variable and leads to a stack-based buffer overflow, (2) a heap-based corruption problem in an NBNS response that is missing certain RR fields, and (3) a stack-based buffer overflow in the DNS component via a Resource Record (RR) with a long canonical name (CNAME) field composed of many smaller components.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/19/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0444 represents a critical security flaw affecting multiple Symantec products including Norton Internet Security, Professional Firewall, AntiSpam, Client Firewall, and Client Security versions spanning from 2002 through 2004. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory management within the SYMDNS.SYS kernel driver component that handles network name resolution services. The affected systems are particularly vulnerable during network name resolution operations, where malicious actors can exploit these weaknesses to compromise system integrity and availability. The vulnerability impacts the core networking functionality of these security suites, making it a significant concern for enterprise and individual users relying on these protection mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through three distinct attack vectors that leverage different memory corruption patterns. The first vector targets a stack-based buffer overflow in the NetBIOS Name Service (NBNS) first-level decoding routine where a manipulated length byte modifies an index variable, ultimately leading to stack corruption and potential code execution. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which is categorized under the broader category of CWE-119 Improper Access to Memory. The second vulnerability manifests as a heap-based corruption issue in NBNS responses that are missing certain Resource Record fields, representing a heap corruption vulnerability that can be exploited to manipulate memory layout and potentially execute arbitrary code. This heap-based corruption aligns with CWE-122 Heap-based Buffer Overflow, which is part of the CWE-119 family of memory corruption vulnerabilities. The third vector targets the DNS component through a stack-based buffer overflow in Resource Records with excessively long canonical name fields composed of numerous smaller components, creating a similar but distinct memory corruption scenario.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to include potential remote code execution capabilities that could allow attackers to gain full system control. The stack-based buffer overflows in both the NBNS and DNS components provide attackers with opportunities to overwrite critical memory locations including return addresses and function pointers, enabling arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected system. The heap-based corruption vulnerability presents additional risks as heap manipulation can lead to more sophisticated exploitation techniques including information disclosure and privilege escalation. These vulnerabilities affect systems during normal network operations, particularly when processing incoming network traffic related to name resolution services, making them particularly dangerous in environments where security products are expected to provide protection against network-based attacks. The vulnerability affects systems across multiple Symantec product lines, indicating a widespread issue that impacts various security components within the Symantec ecosystem.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-0444 should prioritize immediate patch deployment from Symantec, as the vendor released security updates specifically addressing these vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement network segmentation and firewall rules to limit exposure to potentially malicious NBNS and DNS traffic, particularly in environments where these Symantec products are deployed. Network monitoring should focus on detecting unusual NBNS query patterns and DNS response anomalies that could indicate exploitation attempts. System administrators should disable unnecessary name resolution services when possible and implement proper input validation for all network services. The vulnerability's classification under the MITRE ATT&CK framework would place it within the T1059 Execution Techniques category, specifically related to command and script execution through buffer overflow exploitation. Additionally, the vulnerability's impact on system stability and security makes it a high-priority target for security hardening measures, including kernel patching and network access controls. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify the specific attack patterns associated with these buffer overflow exploits, particularly focusing on malformed NBNS and DNS responses that could indicate active exploitation attempts.