CVE-2005-0098 in abuse-SDL
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in the SDL port of abuse (abuse-SDL) before 2.00 allow local users to execute arbitrary code via the command line.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0098 represents a critical security flaw in the SDL port of the classic abuse game software version 2.00 and earlier. This issue manifests as multiple buffer overflow conditions that occur during the processing of command line arguments, creating a significant attack surface for local adversaries seeking to compromise systems running affected software versions. The vulnerability specifically targets the command line argument parsing mechanism within the abuse-SDL implementation, which fails to properly validate input lengths before copying data into fixed-size buffers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking in the command line argument handling code. When users provide command line parameters to the abuse-SDL application, the software does not properly verify that input data fits within predetermined buffer limits. This allows attackers to craft malicious command line arguments that exceed buffer capacity, resulting in memory corruption that can be exploited to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The buffer overflow conditions occur in the SDL port implementation, which translates the original abuse game's functionality to work with the Simple DirectMedia Layer library, introducing additional complexity to the attack surface.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a local privilege escalation risk that enables attackers with access to the target system to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application. The exploitability of this vulnerability is relatively straightforward since it requires only local system access and the ability to launch the affected application with crafted command line arguments. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized code execution, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data theft, or further network infiltration activities. The impact extends beyond simple code execution as the vulnerability could be chained with other exploits to elevate privileges or establish persistent access.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflows, as the affected code likely contains both types of buffer overflow scenarios. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059.003 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, as local users can exploit the buffer overflow to execute arbitrary code. The security implications extend to the broader category of software vulnerabilities affecting multimedia and gaming applications, particularly those utilizing cross-platform libraries such as SDL. Organizations should prioritize patching affected systems and implementing input validation measures to prevent exploitation. The remediation strategy involves updating to abuse-SDL version 2.00 or later, where proper bounds checking has been implemented to prevent buffer overflow conditions. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies and monitoring for unusual command line argument patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.