CVE-2004-1176 in Midnight Commander
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer underflow in extfs.c in Midnight Commander (mc) 4.5.55 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/15/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1176 represents a critical buffer underflow condition within the extfs.c component of Midnight Commander version 4.5.55 and earlier. This flaw exists in the file system handling code responsible for processing extended file system operations, specifically affecting how the application manages memory allocation during file system traversal and data processing. The buffer underflow occurs when the application fails to properly validate input data lengths before copying them into fixed-size memory buffers, creating a scenario where insufficient data validation leads to memory corruption.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of Buffer Underflow, which is classified as a memory safety issue in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely through network-based attacks, allowing attackers to manipulate the application's memory layout and potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the running process. The vulnerability impacts the core functionality of Midnight Commander, which is a popular file manager utility used across various unix-like systems and serves as a critical component for file system navigation and management operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it creates potential for remote code execution. When exploited, the buffer underflow can lead to stack corruption that may result in application crashes, system instability, or complete system compromise. Attackers can craft malicious input data that, when processed by the vulnerable mc application, triggers the underflow condition and potentially redirects program execution flow. This makes the vulnerability particularly concerning for systems where Midnight Commander is used in networked environments or where users may encounter untrusted file system data.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-1176 should focus on immediate patching of the affected software versions, as the vulnerability has been addressed in subsequent releases of Midnight Commander. System administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious input sources. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, which describes how attackers can exploit software vulnerabilities to execute malicious code on target systems. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms in file system handling code can prevent similar issues from occurring in other applications, aligning with defensive measures recommended in the Software Security Engineering framework. Organizations should also consider deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability pattern.