CVE-2005-0330 in Painkiller
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Painkiller 1.35 and earlier, and possibly other versions before 1.61, allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code via a long cd-key hash.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0330 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw affecting the Painkiller game software version 1.35 and earlier, with potential impact extending to versions prior to 1.61. This vulnerability resides within the game's handling of cd-key hash validation mechanisms, creating a security weakness that can be exploited by authenticated remote attackers. The flaw specifically manifests when the game processes excessively long cd-key hash values during the authentication process, leading to memory corruption that can result in unpredictable system behavior.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the game's cd-key verification routine. When an authenticated user submits a cd-key hash that exceeds the allocated buffer size, the application fails to properly bounds-check the input data before copying it into memory. This classic buffer overflow condition occurs because the software does not enforce strict limits on the length of the cd-key hash parameter, allowing maliciously crafted input to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The vulnerability maps to CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient boundary checks permit memory access beyond allocated buffers. The flaw can be exploited through network-based attacks since the game's authentication process is accessible over network connections, making it a remote vulnerability that does not require local system access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enabling remote code execution, making it particularly dangerous for networked gaming environments. When exploited successfully, the buffer overflow can cause the game application to crash and terminate unexpectedly, resulting in denial of service for legitimate users. However, the more severe implications arise from the possibility of arbitrary code execution, which could allow attackers to gain control over the affected system. Attackers could potentially inject malicious code into the game process through the overflow, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects all versions prior to 1.61, indicating that the developers had not yet implemented proper input validation measures to prevent such memory corruption scenarios. This makes the exploit particularly concerning for gaming servers and multiplayer environments where authenticated users can connect and potentially exploit this weakness.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate software updates to version 1.61 or later, which presumably includes proper input validation and buffer management. System administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable game servers to untrusted networks. Additionally, monitoring network traffic for unusually long cd-key hash values can help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and proper memory management in game development environments, where networked applications must handle untrusted data from remote users. Security best practices suggest implementing stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and other exploit mitigation techniques to reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify patterns consistent with buffer overflow exploitation attempts, particularly in gaming environments where such vulnerabilities can have significant operational impact. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under software exploitation techniques, specifically targeting memory corruption vulnerabilities that enable privilege escalation and code execution in networked applications.