CVE-2004-2371 in Ghost Recon
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple Red Storm web-based games, including Ghost Recon 1.4 and earlier, Desert Siege, and The Sum of all Fears 1.1.1.0 and earlier, do not properly check return values from certain functions, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (hang) via packets that contain text strings with incorrect size values.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2371 affects multiple Red Storm Entertainment web-based games including Ghost Recon 1.4 and earlier versions, Desert Siege, and The Sum of all Fears 1.1.1.0 and earlier. This issue represents a classic case of improper input validation where the affected applications fail to adequately verify return values from critical functions during packet processing. The flaw exists within the network protocol handling mechanisms of these gaming applications, specifically in how they process incoming data packets containing text strings with incorrect size values. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust error handling and input validation in networked applications, particularly those that serve as servers in multiplayer gaming environments where malicious actors can exploit such weaknesses to disrupt service availability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate error checking within the game's network communication stack. When these applications receive packets containing text strings with incorrect size values, the failure to properly validate return values from underlying functions causes the application to enter an undefined state where it hangs or becomes unresponsive. This occurs because the software does not implement proper bounds checking or error recovery mechanisms when encountering malformed data packets. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it operates at the protocol level where the application processes network traffic, making it accessible to remote attackers who can craft malicious packets to exploit this weakness. This type of flaw aligns with CWE-248, which addresses "Uncaught Exception" conditions where applications fail to handle exceptional circumstances properly, and it represents a form of resource exhaustion attack that can be classified under the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-2371 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the entire gaming experience for legitimate users. When exploited, this vulnerability allows remote attackers to cause sustained denial of service conditions that can affect game servers and multiplayer sessions. The hanging behavior means that affected game servers become unresponsive to legitimate client connections, effectively preventing players from accessing the service. In multiplayer gaming environments, this can result in complete server outages, loss of player data, and disruption of competitive gaming activities. The vulnerability affects not just individual game instances but can potentially impact entire game ecosystems where multiple servers are running the vulnerable software versions. From a security operations perspective, this represents a low-effort, high-impact attack vector that can be exploited by attackers with minimal technical expertise. The vulnerability also highlights the broader issue of legacy software security where older game versions may not receive proper security updates or patches, leaving them exposed to known exploits that have been documented for years.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-2371 should focus on immediate defensive measures and long-term architectural improvements. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable game servers to untrusted networks. Input validation should be enhanced to include proper bounds checking and error recovery mechanisms that prevent malformed packets from causing application hangs. Application-level firewalls and intrusion detection systems can be configured to monitor for suspicious packet patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The most effective long-term solution involves updating to patched versions of the affected games, though this may not be feasible for legacy systems where support has been discontinued. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual network traffic patterns and server hanging behaviors that could indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the need for comprehensive vulnerability management programs that address both current and legacy systems. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based intrusion prevention systems that can automatically detect and block malicious traffic patterns associated with known exploits like this one, thereby reducing the attack surface and improving overall network resilience against similar vulnerabilities.