CVE-2005-4742 in Echelog
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Echelog 0.6.2 allows attackers to "exploit function stacks on some architectures," with unknown impact and attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4742 affects Echelog version 0.6.2, a logging application that processes and stores system events. This unspecified vulnerability specifically targets the function stack management mechanisms within the software, creating potential exploitation opportunities on certain hardware architectures. The weakness resides in how the application handles stack operations during function execution, which could lead to memory corruption or arbitrary code execution depending on the target system's processor architecture. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that the exact nature of the stack manipulation attack vector remains unclear, though the potential for exploitation on specific architectures suggests a low-level memory management flaw that could be leveraged by sophisticated attackers.
The technical flaw in Echelog 0.6.2 stems from improper handling of function call stacks during program execution, particularly when the software processes log entries or handles system events. This type of vulnerability typically manifests when the application fails to properly manage stack memory allocation, deallocation, or function return mechanisms. The impact varies significantly across different processor architectures due to variations in stack layout, calling conventions, and memory management implementations. On certain architectures, attackers could potentially manipulate stack pointers or overwrite return addresses through buffer overflow conditions or other stack-based attacks that exploit the underlying software implementation. The vulnerability's architecture-specific nature suggests it may be related to differences in stack pointer management, alignment requirements, or instruction set characteristics that affect how function calls are processed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, potentially enabling full system compromise when exploited successfully. Attackers could leverage the stack-based weakness to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Echelog process, which typically runs with elevated permissions to access system logs and perform administrative functions. The unknown attack vectors and impact levels indicate that this vulnerability could be particularly dangerous in environments where Echelog is used for critical system monitoring or security auditing purposes. Organizations relying on Echelog for logging infrastructure may face unauthorized access to sensitive system information, potential data exfiltration, or complete system takeover depending on the exploitation method. The vulnerability's presence in a logging application creates particular risk since such software often has elevated privileges and access to system resources that could be abused by attackers.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-4742 should focus on immediate software updates and architectural defenses to prevent exploitation. The primary remediation involves upgrading to a patched version of Echelog that addresses the stack management issues, though this requires careful testing to ensure compatibility with existing logging infrastructure. System administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of Echelog systems to untrusted networks or users. Memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and non-executable stack protections should be enabled on systems running vulnerable versions. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of Echelog 0.6.2 across their infrastructure and prioritize remediation efforts based on risk exposure. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129 and CWE-121 categories related to buffer overflows and improper handling of stack memory, and may map to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and execution through compromised system services. Regular security monitoring and log analysis should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.