CVE-2005-2102 in Gaim
Summary
by MITRE
The AIM/ICQ module in Gaim before 1.5.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a filename that contains invalid UTF-8 characters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2102 represents a classic buffer overflow condition that affects the AIM/ICQ module within the Gaim instant messaging client software. This issue manifests when the application processes incoming filenames that contain invalid UTF-8 character sequences, leading to an application crash and subsequent denial of service condition. The flaw exists in versions of Gaim prior to 1.5.0, indicating a well-documented security gap that was subsequently addressed in the software update. The vulnerability specifically targets the text processing mechanisms within the AIM/ICQ protocol implementation, where the software fails to properly validate UTF-8 encoding before attempting to render or process filenames received from remote peers.
This security weakness operates through improper input validation and error handling mechanisms within the client's protocol parsing components. When Gaim encounters a filename containing invalid UTF-8 sequences, the application's internal text processing functions fail to handle the malformed data gracefully, resulting in memory corruption that ultimately causes the application to terminate unexpectedly. The vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-170, which describes improper handling of potentially invalid input data, and more specifically relates to CWE-122, which addresses issues with buffer overflows and memory corruption. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication or privileged access from the remote attacker, making it a straightforward denial of service exploit that can be executed against any running Gaim client.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability, as it can be leveraged to disrupt communication services for users relying on the AIM/ICQ protocol within Gaim. Attackers can craft malicious filenames with invalid UTF-8 sequences and send them to targets, causing the victim's instant messaging client to crash and potentially forcing users to restart their applications. This disruption can be particularly problematic in enterprise environments where instant messaging serves as a critical communication channel. The vulnerability demonstrates how protocol implementation flaws can create significant operational risks, as the denial of service affects not just individual users but can potentially impact broader communication infrastructures. From an attack methodology perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and represents a classic example of how malformed data processing can be weaponized to create system instability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-2102 primarily involve upgrading to Gaim version 1.5.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to properly validate UTF-8 character sequences in filenames. System administrators should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, though the vulnerability's nature makes it relatively easy to detect. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of accepting files or messages from untrusted sources, as the vulnerability can be triggered through normal messaging interactions. The fix implemented in Gaim 1.5.0 demonstrates proper input validation techniques that should be adopted as industry best practices, including comprehensive UTF-8 validation routines and graceful error handling for malformed data. Organizations relying on instant messaging platforms should consider implementing additional security controls such as message filtering and protocol validation checks to prevent similar vulnerabilities from affecting their communication infrastructure. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of robust input validation and proper error handling in networked applications, particularly those handling user-generated content or external data streams.