CVE-2005-1190 in WebcamXP PRO
Summary
by MITRE
WebcamXP PRO v2.16.468 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a long chat name, which takes up too much display space and prevents the chat frame from being properly rendered.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1190 affects WebcamXP PRO version 2.16.468 and earlier, representing a denial of service weakness that stems from inadequate input validation within the application's chat functionality. This flaw specifically targets the chat name field where remote attackers can exploit the system by submitting excessively long chat names that exceed the display capacity of the user interface. The vulnerability manifests when the application attempts to render the chat frame, causing the interface to become unresponsive or crash entirely due to the improper handling of oversized text elements. Such a flaw demonstrates a classic lack of bounds checking and input sanitization that characterizes many legacy software applications from the early 2000s era.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the chat name parameter within the WebcamXP PRO application's communication protocols. When an attacker submits a chat name exceeding the predefined display limits, the application's rendering engine fails to properly manage the text overflow, leading to graphical corruption or complete interface freeze. This behavior can be categorized under CWE-121, which addresses buffer overflow conditions, and more specifically aligns with CWE-707, concerning improper neutralization of input during web application development. The vulnerability essentially creates a condition where the user interface becomes unresponsive, preventing legitimate users from accessing the chat functionality and effectively rendering the application unavailable for its intended purpose.
From an operational perspective, this denial of service vulnerability poses significant risks to users who rely on WebcamXP PRO for surveillance and communication purposes. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it can compromise the integrity of the surveillance system, potentially leaving monitored areas unprotected during the period when the application is non-functional. Attackers can exploit this weakness to repeatedly send long chat names, causing repeated service interruptions that can escalate to persistent denial of service conditions. The vulnerability also reflects poorly on the application's security posture and demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in user interface components. This flaw can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network disruption through resource exhaustion, and represents a form of application-level denial of service that affects user experience and system availability.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include implementing proper input length validation and sanitization for all user-supplied data, particularly within graphical interface components. Developers should enforce maximum length limits for chat names and implement proper text truncation or wrapping mechanisms to prevent display overflow conditions. Additionally, robust error handling and graceful degradation capabilities should be implemented to ensure that malformed input does not cause complete application failure. The solution should also incorporate defensive programming practices such as bounds checking and memory management controls that prevent the application from crashing when encountering unexpectedly large input values. Organizations using WebcamXP PRO should consider upgrading to patched versions or implementing network-level controls to limit the impact of such vulnerabilities. The remediation approach should also include regular security assessments and code reviews focused on input validation and user interface handling to prevent similar issues from arising in future development cycles.