CVE-2004-2272 in efFingerD
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the sockFinger_DataArrival function in efFingerD 0.2.12 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) via a long finger command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2272 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the efFingerD daemon version 0.2.12 which operates as a finger protocol server. This daemon implements the finger service that traditionally provides user information over network connections, making it a potential target for exploitation within network infrastructure. The specific function sockFinger_DataArrival contains a programming error that fails to properly validate input length before processing incoming data from network connections, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the network data processing pipeline of the finger daemon. When a client establishes a connection and sends a finger command to the efFingerD service, the sockFinger_DataArrival function receives this data without sufficient validation of command length. The function attempts to store the incoming data into a fixed-size buffer that cannot accommodate excessively long input strings, causing memory corruption that results in the daemon crashing. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service as it can be exploited by remote attackers to disrupt network services without requiring authentication or elevated privileges. The daemon crash directly affects availability of the finger service, which may be critical for system administration tasks or network monitoring purposes. In enterprise environments where finger services are still utilized for user identification or system integration, this vulnerability can create significant operational disruption. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires no special privileges and can be executed from any network location that can reach the affected service, making it a low-effort, high-impact threat.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks, and demonstrates how legacy network services can contain exploitable conditions that persist for years. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching the efFingerD daemon to version 0.2.13 or later which contains the necessary buffer overflow protections, disabling the finger service entirely if not required, or implementing network segmentation to restrict access to the service. Additionally, monitoring for unusual connection patterns or service disruptions related to finger protocol requests can help detect exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date network services and conducting regular security assessments of legacy systems that may continue to operate in production environments without proper security hardening.