CVE-2005-4076 in Database IDS
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Appfluent Technology Database IDS 2.0 allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a long APPFLUENT_HOME environment variable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4076 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Appfluent Technology Database IDS 2.0 software, specifically affecting the handling of environment variables during application initialization. This issue arises from insufficient input validation and bounds checking when processing the APPFLUENT_HOME environment variable, which is utilized by the application to determine its operational configuration and resource locations. The flaw exists in the application's startup sequence where it reads and processes this environment variable without proper length verification, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by local attackers to gain elevated privileges and execute malicious code within the context of the application's running process.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow occurs when the application attempts to copy the APPFLUENT_HOME environment variable value into a fixed-size buffer located in the application's memory space. When the length of the provided environment variable exceeds the allocated buffer capacity, the excess data overflows into adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting critical program data structures, function return addresses, or other executable code segments. This memory corruption can be carefully manipulated by an attacker to redirect program execution flow and inject malicious code that executes with the privileges of the running application process. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, which is particularly dangerous due to its potential for arbitrary code execution and privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple local privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with a means to compromise the integrity of the Database IDS 2.0 system and potentially gain access to sensitive network monitoring data. Since the vulnerability requires only local system access to exploit, it can be leveraged by malicious users who have already gained some level of system presence, such as through social engineering or other initial compromise techniques. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it does not require network connectivity or external exploitation methods, making it easier to achieve successful compromise. Organizations using Appfluent Technology Database IDS 2.0 are at risk of having their network monitoring capabilities subverted, potentially allowing attackers to bypass security controls and monitor network traffic without detection.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-4076 should focus on immediate remediation through vendor-provided patches or updates that address the buffer overflow condition in the environment variable handling code. System administrators should implement strict environment variable validation and monitoring to prevent malicious values from being passed to the application. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by running the Database IDS 2.0 application with minimal required permissions, reducing the potential impact of successful exploitation. Additionally, regular security audits should be conducted to identify and remediate similar buffer overflow vulnerabilities in other applications and system components. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through exploitation of software vulnerabilities, and T1548.001 which covers abuse of privileges through local account manipulation. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting controls to prevent unauthorized code execution and establish robust monitoring procedures to detect anomalous environment variable usage patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.