CVE-2005-0808 in Jakarta Tomcat
Summary
by MITRE
Apache Tomcat before 5.x allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted AJP12 packet to TCP port 8007.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-0808 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting Apache Tomcat versions prior to 5.x. This vulnerability specifically targets the AJP12 protocol implementation within the Tomcat server, which operates on TCP port 8007 by default. The AJP12 protocol serves as a binary protocol designed to facilitate communication between web servers and Tomcat application servers, commonly used in environments where Apache HTTP Server is fronted by Tomcat for application processing. The flaw exists in how Tomcat handles incoming AJP12 packets, creating a condition where malformed or specially crafted packets can trigger unexpected behavior in the server's processing logic.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the AJP12 packet processing module. When a remote attacker sends a crafted AJP12 packet to the designated TCP port 8007, the Tomcat server fails to properly validate the packet structure or contents. This lack of proper validation leads to memory corruption or stack overflow conditions that ultimately cause the Tomcat application process to crash. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication or authorization to exploit, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can reach the target system. The flaw essentially creates a condition where the server's memory management becomes corrupted, leading to an application crash that results in complete service disruption for legitimate users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption, as it can be leveraged to create sustained denial of service conditions that may require manual intervention to restore service. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability can cause the Tomcat server to become unresponsive, forcing administrators to restart the service manually or potentially causing system-wide application downtime if the server is critical to business operations. This type of vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely on Tomcat as their application server, potentially impacting organizations with significant web-based infrastructure that depends on this technology stack. The vulnerability's impact is amplified in environments where Tomcat is deployed without proper monitoring or automated failover mechanisms, as the service disruption can last until manual intervention occurs.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through upgrading to Apache Tomcat version 5.x or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the AJP12 packet handling issues. Additionally, network-level mitigations should be implemented to restrict access to TCP port 8007, particularly when the AJP connector is not required for the application's operation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and can be classified under ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious AJP12 traffic patterns and establish proper network segmentation to limit exposure of the vulnerable service to untrusted networks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any other potentially affected systems within the organization's infrastructure that may be running older versions of Tomcat or similar vulnerable components.