CVE-2004-0507 in Ethereal
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the MMSE dissector for Ethereal 0.10.1 to 0.10.3 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-0507 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the MMSE dissector component of Ethereal network protocol analyzer version 0.10.1 through 0.10.3. This issue affects the software's ability to process specific network packets containing MMSE protocol data, creating a potential pathway for malicious actors to exploit the application's memory handling mechanisms. The MMSE protocol, which stands for Multimedia Messaging Service Element, is used for handling multimedia messaging services in mobile communications, particularly within GSM networks where such protocols are commonly encountered during network analysis activities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the MMSE dissector module, which fails to properly check the length of incoming data buffers before processing them. When Ethereal encounters a malformed MMSE packet with oversized data fields, the application attempts to copy this data into fixed-size buffers without adequate boundary checks, resulting in memory corruption. This buffer overflow condition occurs during the packet parsing phase when the dissector attempts to interpret and display MMSE protocol information in the network traffic analysis interface. The flaw specifically manifests when processing certain MMSE message structures that contain oversized or malformed parameters that exceed the allocated buffer space, causing the program to overwrite adjacent memory locations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to potentially enable remote code execution capabilities. Attackers can craft specially designed MMSE packets that trigger the buffer overflow condition, leading to unpredictable application behavior including crashes, system instability, or in more severe cases, arbitrary code execution on the victim system. This represents a significant security risk for network administrators who rely on Ethereal for network monitoring and analysis, as adversaries could exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to systems running vulnerable versions of the software. The remote nature of the attack means that no local access is required, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in network environments where untrusted traffic flows through monitoring systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action to update to patched versions of Ethereal, specifically version 0.10.4 or later, which contain proper input validation and buffer size checks within the MMSE dissector module. System administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious traffic, while monitoring network protocols for unusual MMSE packet patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation that allows attackers to manipulate memory structures. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving denial of service and privilege escalation through code injection, with potential lateral movement capabilities if exploited successfully. Organizations should also consider implementing network intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed MMSE traffic patterns, while maintaining comprehensive backup and recovery procedures to address potential system compromise scenarios.