CVE-2006-2254 in FileCOPA
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in filecpnt.exe in FileCOPA 1.01 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a username with a large number of newline characters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-2254 represents a classic buffer overflow flaw in the filecpnt.exe component of FileCOPA version 1.01. This remote exploitation vulnerability specifically targets the handling of user authentication credentials, particularly username inputs, creating a pathway for attackers to disrupt service availability. The flaw manifests when the application processes a username containing an excessive number of newline characters, which exceeds the allocated buffer space and causes the application to crash. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of software security weaknesses that can be exploited to achieve denial of service conditions, making it a significant concern for system availability and reliability. The issue demonstrates poor input validation practices in the application's authentication module, where the software fails to properly sanitize or limit the length of user-provided data before processing.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of the username parameter during the authentication process within FileCOPA's filecpnt.exe service. When an attacker submits a username containing a large number of newline characters, the application's internal buffer handling mechanism cannot accommodate the excessive input size, leading to memory corruption and subsequent application termination. This buffer overflow condition occurs at the point where the system attempts to store or process the malformed username input, triggering a cascade of memory management failures that result in the application crashing. The vulnerability is classified as a remote attack vector since it does not require local system access or physical presence, allowing malicious actors to exploit the flaw from any network location. The specific nature of this exploit demonstrates a fundamental lack of proper input sanitization and boundary checking within the application's credential handling routines.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-2254 extends beyond simple application instability, potentially creating significant service disruption for organizations relying on FileCOPA for file sharing and management operations. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability can cause repeated application crashes, leading to complete service unavailability for legitimate users who require file access and transfer capabilities. This denial of service condition affects not only the immediate availability of the FileCOPA service but can also impact network performance and user productivity across the affected systems. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where such services are exposed to external networks. Organizations using this software may experience increased support requests, service interruptions, and potential loss of confidence in their file sharing infrastructure due to the availability impact of this flaw.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-2254 should focus on both immediate defensive measures and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. The most effective immediate solution involves applying vendor patches or updates that address the buffer overflow condition in filecpnt.exe, ensuring that input validation is properly implemented to limit username lengths and prevent excessive newline character processing. Organizations should also implement network-level controls such as firewall rules and access control lists to restrict access to the FileCOPA service until proper security updates are applied. Additionally, the implementation of proper input validation and boundary checking mechanisms within the application codebase can prevent similar issues from occurring in other components. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should be addressed through comprehensive security testing and code review processes. The remediation process should also include monitoring and logging of authentication attempts to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish baseline behavior for normal system operations.