CVE-2004-1090 in Midnight commander
Summary
by MITRE
Midnight commander (mc) 4.5.55 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via "a corrupt section header."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1090 affects midnight commander version 4.5.55 and earlier, representing a denial of service weakness that can be exploited by remote attackers through the manipulation of section headers within files. This flaw specifically targets the file management utility's handling of corrupted section headers during file processing operations. The midnight commander is a popular console-based file manager and visual shell for Unix-like systems that provides a user-friendly interface for navigating file systems and performing file operations. When processing files with malformed section headers, the application fails to properly validate input data, leading to potential system instability or complete application termination. This vulnerability falls under the category of input validation failures and can be classified as a CWE-129 weakness, which represents insufficient validation of the length or size of input data. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it allows remote exploitation, meaning that an attacker could potentially trigger the denial of service condition without requiring local access to the system.
The technical flaw manifests when the midnight commander application attempts to parse files that contain corrupt section headers, typically encountered in binary file formats such as executable files, archives, or other structured data formats. The application's parser does not implement proper bounds checking or error handling for malformed section header data, causing the program to crash or become unresponsive when encountering such corrupted data. This behavior represents a classic buffer over-read or improper input validation scenario that can be exploited to disrupt service availability. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where the midnight commander is used for file browsing or archive extraction, as attackers could craft malicious files designed to trigger the specific parsing failure. The flaw demonstrates a lack of defensive programming practices and inadequate error recovery mechanisms within the file processing subsystem. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability can be exploited through various means including network-based file transfers, shared file systems, or any scenario where the application processes potentially malicious files from untrusted sources.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-1090 extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can significantly disrupt file management operations in systems where midnight commander serves as a primary file handling utility. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability can cause the application to crash repeatedly, forcing users to restart the program and potentially interrupting ongoing file operations or system maintenance tasks. In server environments or multi-user systems, this vulnerability could be leveraged to repeatedly disrupt file management services, affecting multiple users and potentially causing cascading effects on dependent services. The vulnerability also poses risks in automated environments where midnight commander might be invoked programmatically, as it could lead to unexpected process termination and workflow disruptions. From a security standpoint, this flaw represents a potential stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, as the denial of service condition could be used to mask other malicious activities or to create conditions where attackers can more easily exploit additional vulnerabilities. The weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers the use of denial of service attacks to disrupt system availability. Organizations using midnight commander should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where file handling operations are critical to business processes. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that it can be triggered from any location, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments or when the application is used in conjunction with network file systems or remote file access protocols.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-1090 should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities. The most effective immediate solution is to upgrade to midnight commander version 4.5.56 or later, which contains patches specifically addressing the corrupt section header handling issue. System administrators should also implement proper input validation and sanitization measures for any file processing operations, particularly those involving external or untrusted file sources. Network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of exploitation by restricting access to systems running midnight commander. Additionally, implementing monitoring and alerting for application crashes or unexpected terminations can help detect exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing file integrity checking mechanisms and regular vulnerability scanning to identify similar weaknesses in other file handling utilities. The vulnerability highlights the importance of defensive programming practices including bounds checking, error handling, and input validation, which are fundamental requirements for secure software development. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability would likely trigger alerts under security frameworks such as pci dss or iso 27001, which require organizations to maintain secure file handling processes and to promptly address known vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should include evaluation of file processing components to identify similar weaknesses in other applications that handle structured data formats.