CVE-2005-0826 in OllyDbg
Summary
by MITRE
OllyDbg 1.10 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a dynamic link library (DLL) with a long filename.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0826 represents a classic buffer overflow condition within OllyDbg version 1.10 and earlier releases, specifically targeting the application's handling of dynamic link library filenames. This issue manifests when the debugger encounters a maliciously crafted DLL file with an excessively long filename, causing the application to crash and resulting in a denial of service condition. The flaw exists in the filename processing logic where the software fails to properly validate or limit the length of input strings before attempting to process them within memory buffers.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability operates as a stack-based buffer overflow through improper input validation mechanisms within the debugger's file loading subsystem. When OllyDbg attempts to load a DLL with an abnormally long filename, the application's internal buffer allocation does not account for the excessive input length, leading to memory corruption that ultimately triggers an application crash. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient bounds checking allows an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in debugging environments where applications process untrusted input from external sources.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-0826 extends beyond simple application instability, as it can be exploited in remote attack scenarios where malicious actors distribute specially crafted DLL files through various channels. Security researchers have documented how this vulnerability can be leveraged in social engineering campaigns or automated attack vectors where unsuspecting users might inadvertently load malicious DLL files into OllyDbg, leading to system instability and potential information disclosure. The vulnerability affects the integrity of the debugging process and can compromise the security posture of developers and security researchers who rely on OllyDbg for software analysis. Organizations using older versions of OllyDbg face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments where debugging activities involve processing untrusted code samples from external sources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-0826 primarily involve immediate software updates to versions that address the buffer overflow condition, as the original vulnerability has been resolved in subsequent releases of OllyDbg. Security practitioners should implement comprehensive patch management processes to ensure all instances of the vulnerable software are updated across organizational environments. Additionally, network administrators can deploy application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unsigned or untrusted DLL files, while system administrators should consider implementing monitoring solutions that detect anomalous filename lengths or suspicious file loading patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and bounds checking in security-critical applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through dynamic-link libraries. Organizations should also consider implementing defensive measures such as stack canaries or address space layout randomization to mitigate potential exploitation of similar buffer overflow conditions in other software components.