CVE-2005-2376 in Toca Race Driver
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Race Driver 1.20 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a long (1) nickname or (2) chat message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2376 represents a classic buffer overflow flaw affecting Race Driver 1.20 and earlier versions of the gaming software. This security weakness resides within the application's handling of user input data, specifically when processing nickname and chat message parameters. The flaw occurs when the software receives input data that exceeds the allocated buffer space, causing the program to overwrite adjacent memory locations and ultimately leading to application instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the game's networking and user interface components. When remote attackers submit excessively long strings as nicknames or chat messages, the application fails to properly bounds-check the input data before copying it into fixed-size memory buffers. This fundamental programming error creates a condition where the buffer overflow can occur, potentially causing the application to crash or become unresponsive. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires network connectivity to exploit, making it a remote attack vector that can be leveraged by malicious actors without physical access to the target system.
From an operational impact perspective, this buffer overflow vulnerability significantly undermines the gaming experience by enabling denial of service attacks against legitimate users. The vulnerability can be exploited by remote attackers to repeatedly crash the game client, preventing players from participating in multiplayer sessions or accessing game features. The specific nature of the attack requires attackers to craft specially formatted input strings that exceed the buffer limits, but the simplicity of the exploit means that even basic technical knowledge can be sufficient to trigger the vulnerability. This makes the attack surface relatively broad and accessible to various threat actors.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. The attack vector requires network access to the gaming application and can be executed through the game's chat functionality or nickname registration processes. Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms within the application code. The most effective solution involves updating to version 1.30 or later, which includes patched buffer handling routines and enhanced input validation. Additionally, network-level firewalls can be configured to monitor and restrict unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, though this represents a reactive rather than preventive approach to the vulnerability.
Security practitioners should recognize that this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in networked applications, particularly those handling user-generated content. The ease with which this buffer overflow can be triggered highlights the need for comprehensive security testing during software development lifecycle phases. Organizations should implement regular patch management procedures to ensure that gaming applications and other software components receive timely security updates. The vulnerability also underscores the necessity of following secure coding practices and adhering to established security standards such as those defined by the CERT/CC Secure Coding Standards, which specifically address buffer overflow prevention techniques.