CVE-2004-2327 in Vizer Web Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vizer Web Server 1.9.1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via multiple malformed requests including (1) requests without GET, (2) GET requests without HTTP, (3) or long GET requests.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/18/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2327 affects the Vizer Web Server version 1.9.1 and represents a classic denial of service weakness that exploits improper request handling mechanisms. This flaw demonstrates a fundamental lack of input validation and robust request parsing within the web server implementation, creating opportunities for remote attackers to disrupt service availability. The vulnerability specifically targets the server's ability to process HTTP requests, making it particularly dangerous in environments where continuous availability is critical for business operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the web server's inadequate processing of malformed HTTP requests that deviate from standard protocol expectations. Attackers can trigger the denial of service condition through three distinct methods that exploit different aspects of request parsing. The first variant involves requests that lack the standard GET keyword, which the server fails to properly validate or reject. The second method exploits requests where the GET keyword is present but lacks the required HTTP protocol specification, exposing a parsing gap in the server's protocol validation logic. The third variant utilizes extremely long GET requests that can overwhelm the server's processing capabilities or trigger buffer overflow conditions in the request handling code.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on the Vizer Web Server for hosting critical web applications or services. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit the flaw from any location without requiring physical access or local privileges, making it particularly attractive for malicious actors seeking to disrupt services. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption as the server crash can result in complete unavailability of hosted content, potentially affecting business operations, user access, and customer satisfaction. Organizations may experience cascading effects where the denial of service impacts other systems that depend on the affected web server for functionality.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses improper restriction of operations within a recognized security boundary, and CWE-400 which covers resource exhaustion vulnerabilities. From an attack framework perspective, this flaw maps to the attack technique of service disruption within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically targeting the availability aspect of the CIA triad. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices that are commonly exploited in web server attacks, making it a prime example of how basic security controls can be insufficient to prevent denial of service conditions. Organizations should implement proper request validation mechanisms, establish connection timeouts, and deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious request patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security updates and patches should be applied to address known vulnerabilities in web server implementations, as this particular flaw represents a well-documented weakness that has likely been addressed in subsequent versions of the software.