CVE-2004-1745 in Painkiller
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Painkiller 1.3.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a long password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1745 represents a classic buffer overflow flaw affecting Painkiller version 1.3.1 and earlier. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write data beyond the allocated memory buffer. The specific context of this vulnerability involves the game's authentication mechanism where user passwords are processed during login attempts.
The technical flaw manifests when the application fails to properly validate the length of password input provided by users. When an attacker submits a password exceeding the buffer's allocated size, the excess data overflows into adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting critical program state information. This overflow can be exploited to overwrite return addresses on the stack, enabling attackers to redirect program execution flow. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered remotely, meaning attackers do not need physical access to the system to exploit it.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable arbitrary code execution. When exploited successfully, the buffer overflow allows attackers to inject and execute malicious code within the context of the running Painkiller process. This could result in complete system compromise, especially if the game is running with elevated privileges. The remote exploitation capability makes this vulnerability particularly attractive to attackers as it can be leveraged from any network location without requiring local system access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-1745 should focus on immediate patching of affected versions, as the original vendor released updates to address the buffer overflow issue. System administrators should implement input validation measures to limit password length and enforce proper bounds checking on all user input. Network segmentation and firewall rules can help limit exposure by restricting access to vulnerable game servers. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter, as exploitation may involve executing malicious payloads through compromised game processes. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for unusual login patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar buffer overflow vulnerabilities in legacy software systems that may be running in production environments.