CVE-2004-2387 in sredird
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the HandleCPCCommand function of sercd before 2.3.1 and sredird 2.2.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2387 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the sercd and sredird network services that were widely deployed in enterprise environments during the early 2000s. This issue affects versions prior to 2.3.1 for sercd and 2.2.1 for sredird, creating a significant security risk that could be exploited by remote attackers to gain unauthorized system access. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the HandleCPCCommand function, which processes commands received over the network. The flaw occurs when the application fails to properly check the length of incoming data before copying it into fixed-size buffers, allowing malicious actors to overwrite adjacent memory locations and potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected service.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow vulnerability places it squarely within the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow conditions, where insufficient bounds checking enables attackers to overwrite stack data structures and potentially redirect program execution flow. This type of vulnerability typically allows for privilege escalation attacks where remote adversaries can inject malicious code into the targeted system's memory space. The specific function HandleCPCCommand serves as the entry point for exploitation, handling commands from network clients without adequate input sanitization, making it susceptible to crafted payloads that exceed buffer capacity and overwrite return addresses or other critical program state information.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-2387 extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it creates persistent security weaknesses that can be leveraged for broader system compromise. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could gain full control over affected systems, potentially leading to data breaches, service disruption, or use as a foothold for further network infiltration. The vulnerability affects systems running the affected software versions in environments where these services are exposed to untrusted network traffic, particularly in corporate networks where legacy services might remain operational despite security patches. The nature of the flaw means that exploitation does not require authentication, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network services are accessible from external networks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected systems to upgrade to versions 2.3.1 or later for sercd and 2.2.1 or later for sredird, as these releases contain the necessary buffer overflow protections and input validation mechanisms. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to these services to only trusted internal networks, reducing the attack surface. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving remote code execution and privilege escalation, with the initial access occurring through network service exploitation. Organizations should also implement regular vulnerability assessments to identify other potentially affected legacy services and ensure comprehensive security coverage across their infrastructure.