CVE-2004-1194 in Star Wars Battlefront
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Star Wars Battlefront 1.11 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a long nickname.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/10/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1194 represents a classic buffer overflow flaw affecting Electronic Arts Star Wars Battlefront version 1.11 and earlier. This issue manifests within the game's network communication handling when processing player nicknames, creating a security weakness that can be exploited by remote attackers to disrupt game services. The buffer overflow occurs during the processing of user-defined nicknames that exceed predetermined length limits, allowing malicious input to overwrite adjacent memory regions. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking permits memory corruption. The flaw demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in networked applications and highlights how seemingly benign user interface elements can become attack vectors when proper security measures are absent.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the game's failure to properly validate the length of player nicknames before processing them within network communication protocols. When a remote attacker submits a nickname exceeding the allocated buffer size, the excessive data overflows into adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting critical program state information or executable code segments. This memory corruption typically results in application instability and immediate termination, effectively causing a denial of service condition that prevents legitimate players from accessing the game service. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires no authentication or specialized privileges, making it accessible to any remote user capable of connecting to the game server. Network-based exploitation occurs through the game's client-server communication mechanisms, where the server processes the malformed nickname data and subsequently crashes the application process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass broader implications for game server availability and user experience. When exploited successfully, the buffer overflow can cause complete game server crashes, forcing administrators to restart services and potentially disrupting gameplay for multiple users simultaneously. This denial of service condition can be particularly damaging in competitive gaming environments where server stability directly affects player engagement and game integrity. The vulnerability also demonstrates how legacy game software often lacks modern security considerations, as Battlefront 1.11 and earlier versions were developed before comprehensive buffer overflow protection mechanisms became standard practice in software development. The attack's simplicity and effectiveness make it a prime example of how basic security flaws can have significant operational consequences in networked applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms within the game's network processing code. System administrators should immediately apply patches or updates provided by Electronic Arts to address the buffer overflow condition, as the vulnerability affects the core network communication functionality of the game server. Additionally, implementing network-level filtering to restrict nickname length parameters and employing intrusion detection systems can help identify and prevent exploitation attempts. The remediation approach aligns with standard security practices outlined in the software security development lifecycle, particularly emphasizing the importance of input sanitization and memory management controls. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to this type of vulnerability while ensuring that all networked applications undergo regular security assessments to identify similar buffer overflow conditions that could compromise system integrity and availability.