CVE-2004-2390 in Gadu-Gadu Transport
Summary
by MITRE
The roster import functionality in Jabber Gadu-Gadu Transport (a.k.a. jabber-gg-transport) 2.0.x before 2.0.8, when using libgadu 1.0 and later, allows attackers to cause a denial of service via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2018
The jabber-gg-transport software serves as a bridge between the Jabber instant messaging protocol and the Gadu-Gadu messaging service, enabling users to communicate across different messaging platforms. This particular vulnerability affects versions 2.0.x prior to 2.0.8, specifically when operating with libgadu version 1.0 or later. The issue resides within the roster import functionality, which is responsible for managing user contact lists and facilitating communication between different messaging systems. The vulnerability represents a significant security concern as it can be exploited by remote attackers to disrupt service availability without requiring authentication or privileged access.
The technical flaw manifests through unspecified vectors within the roster import process that can trigger a denial of service condition. While the exact implementation details remain unclear, such vulnerabilities typically arise from improper input validation, memory management issues, or buffer handling problems during data processing. The roster import functionality likely processes incoming contact list data from remote Gadu-Gadu servers, and the vulnerability occurs when this data is not properly sanitized or validated before being processed by the jabber-gg-transport component. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of denial of service attacks that can be executed by sending maliciously crafted data to the affected service.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can potentially affect the entire communication infrastructure that relies on the jabber-gg-transport for cross-platform messaging. Organizations using this software for enterprise communications or those providing messaging services to end users could experience significant downtime, particularly if the service is critical to business operations. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target the service from anywhere on the network without requiring physical access or local privileges. This makes it particularly dangerous in environments where such transport services are exposed to untrusted networks or where multiple users may be connecting through the same gateway.
The vulnerability can be classified under CWE-400, which addresses "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" or "Denial of Service" conditions, and potentially CWE-129, "Improper Validation of Array Index" if the issue involves buffer overflows or memory corruption. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004, "Endpoint Denial of Service," and could potentially be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain leading to system compromise. Organizations should prioritize updating to version 2.0.8 or later, as this represents the first patched release addressing the issue. Additional mitigations may include implementing network segmentation to limit exposure, monitoring for unusual traffic patterns during roster import operations, and considering the deployment of intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation in messaging protocols and demonstrates how seemingly minor functionality can become a critical security concern when not properly secured against malicious input.