CVE-2005-3475 in Hasbani Web Server
Summary
by MITRE
Hasbani Web Server (WindWeb) 2.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via HTTP crafted GET requests.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/05/2024
The CVE-2005-3475 vulnerability affects the Hasbani Web Server version 2.0, also known as WindWeb, which represents a critical security flaw in web server implementations that can be exploited to disrupt service availability. This vulnerability specifically targets the server's handling of HTTP GET requests, demonstrating how poorly implemented request parsing can lead to system instability and denial of service conditions. The vulnerability resides in the server's protocol handling mechanisms where crafted requests can trigger unintended behavior.
The technical flaw manifests when the Hasbani Web Server receives specially crafted HTTP GET requests that cause the server's request processing loop to enter an infinite loop state. This occurs due to insufficient input validation and inadequate boundary checking within the server's HTTP request parsing code. When the server encounters malformed or specially constructed GET parameters, it fails to properly terminate its processing loop, resulting in continuous resource consumption and eventual system unresponsiveness. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-835, which deals with infinite loops or infinite recursion in software implementations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise entire network infrastructure availability. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness without requiring authentication or privileged access, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where continuous service availability is critical. The infinite loop condition consumes system resources including cpu cycles and memory, effectively rendering the affected server incapable of processing legitimate requests. This type of denial of service attack can be executed repeatedly, causing sustained disruption that may require manual intervention to resolve.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including network-level filtering to block suspicious HTTP GET requests and application-level rate limiting to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation and proper error handling in web server implementations, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for patterns indicative of this attack and ensure regular updates to web server software to address known vulnerabilities. The incident highlights the necessity of thorough security testing during development phases and adherence to secure coding practices that prevent resource exhaustion attacks.