CVE-2004-2286 in Activeperl
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in the duplication operator in ActivePerl allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a large multiplier, which may trigger a buffer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-2286 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within ActivePerl's implementation of the string duplication operator. This issue manifests when a large multiplier value is passed to the duplication operation, causing the system to miscalculate memory requirements and subsequently trigger a buffer overflow condition. The vulnerability exists at the core of Perl's string handling mechanisms and specifically impacts the ActivePerl interpreter version 5.8.3 and earlier releases. The integer overflow occurs during the calculation of memory needed to store the duplicated string, where the multiplication operation exceeds the maximum representable value for the integer type, leading to unexpected behavior in memory allocation routines.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a well-defined pattern that aligns with common software security principles and attack methodologies. When an attacker provides a sufficiently large multiplier value to a string duplication operation such as $string x $multiplier, the internal arithmetic calculation fails to properly validate the resulting memory requirement. This failure creates a scenario where the calculated buffer size becomes negative or exceeds the maximum allowable value for the data type used in the allocation process. The resulting overflow can cause memory corruption that manifests as either a crash or potentially arbitrary code execution, depending on the specific memory layout and exploitation conditions. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-190, Integer Overflow or Wraparound, and CWE-121, Stack-based Buffer Overflow, representing fundamental flaws in integer arithmetic and memory management.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable remote code execution within the context of the ActivePerl interpreter. Attackers can leverage this flaw to crash services running ActivePerl, disrupt application availability, or in more sophisticated scenarios, execute malicious code on affected systems. The vulnerability affects any system running ActivePerl versions prior to 5.8.4, including web applications, automated scripts, and server-side Perl applications. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through user input that gets processed by the Perl interpreter, making it applicable to web applications that accept and process string data from external sources. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, where attackers can exploit interpreter flaws to execute arbitrary code, and T1499.004 for Endpoint Denial of Service, which covers attacks that cause system resource exhaustion or crashes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-2286 focus on both immediate patching and defensive programming practices. The primary solution involves upgrading to ActivePerl version 5.8.4 or later, which includes proper bounds checking and overflow protection mechanisms in the string duplication operator implementation. Organizations should also implement input validation controls to limit the size of multipliers passed to duplication operations, particularly in web applications where user input is processed. Additionally, deploying application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help detect and block malicious requests that attempt to exploit this vulnerability. The fix implemented in the patched versions typically involves adding integer overflow checks before memory allocation calculations and implementing proper error handling for cases where the calculated buffer size would exceed system limits. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring for unusual memory allocation patterns and crash events that may indicate exploitation attempts, as this vulnerability can be used to establish persistent access to compromised systems through the execution of arbitrary code.