CVE-2006-1010 in CrossFire
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in socket/request.c in CrossFire before 1.9.0, when oldsocketmode is enabled, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (segmentation fault) and possibly execute code by sending the server a large request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-1010 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the CrossFire game server software, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.9.0. This issue manifests in the socket/request.c component of the server application when the oldsocketmode configuration option is enabled, creating a dangerous condition that can be exploited by remote attackers to compromise system integrity and availability. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices within the network request handling mechanism, where the server fails to properly bounds-check incoming data before processing it.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs when the server processes network requests through the legacy socket mode functionality. When oldsocketmode is activated, the application's request parsing routine does not enforce proper buffer size limitations on incoming data packets, allowing an attacker to craft specially malformed requests containing excessive data payloads. This condition creates a classic stack-based buffer overflow scenario where the excess data overflows into adjacent memory regions, potentially corrupting critical program state information including return addresses and function pointers. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the network level, meaning that any remote attacker with access to the server's network interface can exploit this weakness without requiring local system access or authentication credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable remote code execution, making it a severe security concern for any system running affected CrossFire server versions. When exploited successfully, the buffer overflow can cause segmentation faults that result in server crashes and complete service disruption, while the overflow conditions may also allow attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code on the target system with the privileges of the running server process. This capability transforms a simple availability attack into a full compromise scenario that could lead to complete system control, data exfiltration, or use as a pivot point for attacking other network resources within the same environment.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should be addressed through proper bounds checking and input validation. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under the T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution and T1499 - Endpoint Denial of Service tactics, as it enables both service disruption and potential remote code execution. Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including patching to CrossFire version 1.9.0 or later, disabling the problematic oldsocketmode configuration option, implementing network segmentation to limit exposure, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. Additionally, comprehensive network monitoring should be deployed to detect anomalous request patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should verify that no other similar buffer overflow conditions exist within the server infrastructure or related applications.