CVE-2004-2466 in Easy Chat Server
Summary
by MITRE
chat.ghp in Easy Chat Server 1.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (server crash) via a long username parameter, possibly due to a buffer overflow. NOTE: it was later reported that 2.2 is also affected.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2466 affects the Easy Chat Server 1.2 software and represents a classic buffer overflow condition that can be exploited to cause a denial of service attack. This issue specifically targets the chat.ghp component within the server software, where remote attackers can trigger a server crash by submitting an excessively long username parameter. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in input validation and memory management within the chat server implementation, where the system fails to properly sanitize or limit the length of user-provided data before processing it.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient space is allocated for data, and can be categorized under the broader ATT&CK technique of T1499.3, specifically for network denial of service attacks. The flaw occurs because the chat.ghp module does not implement proper bounds checking on the username parameter, allowing malicious input to overwrite adjacent memory locations. When a sufficiently long username is submitted, the buffer allocated for storing this parameter becomes overflowed, leading to unpredictable behavior including stack corruption, memory corruption, or complete application termination. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or specialized privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple server downtime as it can be leveraged by attackers to disrupt chat services for legitimate users. In enterprise environments where chat servers are critical for communication, such an attack could result in significant productivity loss and potential business disruption. The vulnerability affects not only version 1.2 but also version 2.2 as subsequently reported, indicating that the underlying flaw was not properly addressed in the software updates, suggesting a systemic issue in the codebase or inadequate security testing during the development lifecycle. Organizations running affected versions of Easy Chat Server face the risk of unauthorized service disruption, which could be particularly problematic in mission-critical environments where continuous availability is essential.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of affected software versions to address the buffer overflow condition through proper input validation and bounds checking. System administrators should implement network monitoring to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and consider implementing rate limiting or input length restrictions at network boundaries. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and conducting thorough security testing, particularly for applications handling user input. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures to quickly address any successful attacks. Additionally, the use of network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of such attacks by restricting access to vulnerable services.