CVE-2005-4582 in Electric Sheep
Summary
by MITRE
Electric Sheep 2.6.3 does not require authentication or integrity checks from the server to the client, which allows remote attackers to download and display arbitrary MPEG movie files via (1) DNS spoofing, (2) a URL on the command line, or (3) a URL in the configuration file. NOTE: the same attack vectors apply to common web browsers that are able to communicate with untrusted web servers, and other problems related to DNS design issues. Therefore this may not be a specific vulnerability. However, a client would reasonably expect to receive content only from the server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-4582 affects Electric Sheep version 2.6.3, a distributed art project that displays animated movies on screens worldwide. This flaw represents a significant security weakness in the client-server communication model where the application fails to implement proper authentication mechanisms or integrity verification between the server and client components. The vulnerability stems from the application's trust model that assumes all content received from servers is legitimate without validating the source or ensuring content integrity. This design flaw creates a dangerous trust relationship where clients automatically execute content from any server that can communicate with them, regardless of authorization status or content authenticity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows remote attackers to exploit three distinct attack vectors that leverage fundamental network protocol weaknesses. The first vector involves DNS spoofing, where attackers manipulate DNS resolution to redirect client requests to malicious servers hosting unauthorized MPEG content. The second vector utilizes command-line parameters, allowing attackers to specify arbitrary URLs that the client will automatically fetch and display without validation. The third vector targets configuration file manipulation, where attackers can modify legitimate configuration files to point to malicious content sources. These attack vectors align with common web security principles and represent classic examples of trust exploitation in client-server architectures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond the immediate Electric Sheep application to demonstrate broader security implications in networked systems. Clients that encounter this vulnerability would experience unauthorized content execution, potentially leading to the display of inappropriate or malicious media files. The vulnerability essentially removes any content filtering or source verification mechanisms, allowing attackers to bypass normal security controls through network-level manipulation. This creates a scenario where legitimate users might inadvertently access content from untrusted sources, potentially exposing them to malware delivery through media files or other malicious content.
The security implications of this vulnerability can be categorized under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in software systems. The flaw represents a failure in access control mechanisms that should validate server authenticity and content integrity before allowing client execution of remote resources. Additionally, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which involves executing malicious code through command-line interfaces, and T1190, which covers exploitation of vulnerabilities in web browsers or applications that communicate with untrusted servers. The attack vectors demonstrate how DNS spoofing can be leveraged to compromise client systems, highlighting the need for robust DNS security measures and proper client-side validation of network resources.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require implementing proper authentication and integrity verification mechanisms within the Electric Sheep client application. The system should validate server certificates, implement content signature verification, and establish secure communication channels that prevent unauthorized content injection. Network-level protections such as DNSSEC implementation and proper firewall configurations can help prevent DNS spoofing attacks that exploit this vulnerability. Additionally, client applications should be designed with defense-in-depth principles, requiring explicit user confirmation before executing content from external sources. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of secure configuration management and regular security audits of client applications that communicate with external servers. Organizations should implement proper input validation and sanitization processes to prevent command-line parameter injection attacks, while also ensuring that configuration files are protected from unauthorized modification.