CVE-2004-1597 in BlackBerry 7230
Summary
by MITRE
RIM Blackberry 7230 running RIM Blackberry OS 3.7 SP1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device reboot and possibly data corruption) via a calendar message with a long Location field, which triggers a watchdog while the message is being stored.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-1597 represents a critical denial of service weakness affecting the RIM BlackBerry 7230 device running BlackBerry OS 3.7 SP1. This issue demonstrates how seemingly benign calendar functionality can be exploited to disrupt device operations and potentially compromise data integrity. The vulnerability specifically targets the device's handling of calendar messages with excessively long Location fields, creating a scenario where normal device operation becomes impossible.
The technical flaw resides in the insufficient input validation and memory management within the BlackBerry OS calendar message processing subsystem. When a calendar message containing an abnormally long Location field is received and stored, the device's watchdog timer mechanism becomes triggered, causing an automatic device reboot. This occurs because the system fails to properly handle buffer boundaries during the parsing and storage of calendar data, leading to a condition where the watchdog timer cannot be reset properly. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the device's operating system, specifically within the calendar application's data handling routines.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security implications for BlackBerry device users and organizations relying on these devices for business communications. The remote exploitation capability means attackers can disrupt device functionality from any location without requiring physical access or authentication credentials. The potential for data corruption adds another layer of concern, as users may lose important calendar information or experience inconsistent device behavior following the reboot. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability and integrity of device services, making it particularly dangerous for users who depend on their BlackBerry devices for critical communications.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which addresses stack buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap buffer overflow scenarios, as the system fails to properly validate input lengths during data processing. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004, specifically the technique of "Endpoint Denial of Service," where adversaries leverage device vulnerabilities to render systems unusable. The remote nature of the attack places this under T1190, "Exploit Public-Facing Application," as the vulnerability can be exploited through calendar message delivery without requiring direct device access.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on both immediate and long-term solutions. Device users should implement calendar message filtering to prevent processing of messages with unusually long Location fields, while administrators should consider deploying device management policies that restrict calendar message size limits. The most effective long-term solution involves applying the official BlackBerry OS patch released to address this specific vulnerability, which would include enhanced input validation and proper buffer management in the calendar message handling code. Network-level controls can also be implemented to filter calendar messages at the gateway level, preventing potentially malicious messages from reaching affected devices. Organizations should also consider implementing regular security assessments of their mobile device management systems to identify similar vulnerabilities in other mobile platforms and applications.