CVE-2005-1929 in ServerProtect
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple heap-based buffer overflows in (1) isaNVWRequest.dll and (2) relay.dll in Trend Micro ServerProtect Management Console 5.58 and earlier, as used in Control Manager 2.5 and 3.0 and Damage Cleanup Server 1.1, allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via "wrapped" length values in Chunked transfer requests. NOTE: the original report suggests that the relay.dll issue is related to a problem in which a Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) static library returns invalid values under heavy load. As such, this might not be a vulnerability in Trend Micro s product.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-1929 represents a critical security flaw affecting Trend Micro ServerProtect Management Console versions 5.58 and earlier, along with Control Manager 2.5 and 3.0, and Damage Cleanup Server 1.1. This issue manifests as multiple heap-based buffer overflows that occur within two specific dynamic link libraries: isaNVWRequest.dll and relay.dll. The vulnerability arises from the improper handling of "wrapped" length values in Chunked transfer requests, which constitutes a fundamental flaw in the application's input validation mechanisms and memory management practices. Such vulnerabilities fall under the CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow category, which is classified as a critical weakness in software security architecture. The exploitation of this vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the improper parsing of HTTP Chunked transfer encoding where length values become corrupted or wrapped during transmission, causing the application to allocate insufficient memory buffers for processing incoming data. When the isaNVWRequest.dll and relay.dll components process these malformed chunked requests, they fail to properly validate the length parameters, leading to buffer overflows that can be exploited to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The relay.dll component specifically exhibits this issue due to its reliance on Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) static library functions that return invalid values under heavy system load conditions, creating a cascading failure scenario where legitimate application behavior becomes corrupted. This aspect of the vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploitation of software vulnerabilities through improper input handling, and demonstrates how third-party library dependencies can introduce security weaknesses into otherwise stable applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it provides attackers with a pathway to establish persistent access to network infrastructure managed by Trend Micro ServerProtect. Successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and the potential for lateral movement within the affected network environment. Organizations utilizing these vulnerable versions face significant risk due to the remote nature of the attack vector, which requires no authentication and can be executed from anywhere on the internet. The vulnerability's classification as a heap-based buffer overflow also makes it particularly dangerous because it can be exploited to manipulate program execution flow through stack smashing or return-oriented programming techniques. Furthermore, the issue affects multiple Trend Micro products, indicating a systemic problem within the software architecture that requires comprehensive remediation rather than isolated patching. The fact that the vulnerability may be exacerbated by heavy load conditions suggests that organizations experiencing high traffic volumes or intensive use of the management console may be at increased risk of exploitation, making this issue particularly concerning for enterprise environments where such systems typically operate under significant stress.