CVE-2006-1103 in Sauerbraten
Summary
by MITRE
engine/server.cpp in Sauerbraten 2006_02_28, as derived from the Cube engine, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (segmentation fault) via a client that does not completely join the game and times out, which results in a null pointer dereference.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-1103 affects Sauerbraten version 2006_02_28, which is built upon the Cube engine framework. This represents a classic denial of service weakness that exploits improper handling of client connection states within the game server software. The flaw manifests when a client attempts to join the game but fails to complete the connection process properly, resulting in a timeout condition that triggers the server to crash.
The technical root cause lies in the engine/server.cpp file where the server fails to properly validate client connection states before attempting to access client-related data structures. When a client times out during the join process without completing the necessary handshake protocols, the server maintains a null pointer reference to that client's data structure. This null pointer dereference occurs during the server's cleanup or state management routines, leading to an immediate segmentation fault that terminates the server process.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to game server availability and player experience. Attackers can exploit this weakness by simply connecting to the server, initiating the join process, and then allowing the connection to time out without completing the necessary authentication and state initialization. This creates a simple yet effective denial of service attack that can be executed by anyone with network access to the target server, requiring no special privileges or advanced technical knowledge.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-476, which specifically addresses null pointer dereference conditions in software implementations. This weakness falls under the broader category of improper error handling and resource management within networked applications. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under the MITRE ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service, where adversaries exploit software weaknesses to disrupt service availability.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and proper null pointer checks within the server's client management code. The recommended approach involves adding defensive programming practices that ensure all client data structures are properly initialized before access, and implementing proper timeout handling that gracefully manages incomplete connection states. Additionally, server administrators should consider implementing connection rate limiting and monitoring systems to detect anomalous connection patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The most effective long-term solution would involve updating to patched versions of Sauerbraten that properly handle client timeout conditions without causing segmentation faults.