CVE-2006-5033 in vCAP
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in StoresAndCalendarsList.cgi in Paul Smith Computer Services vCAP 1.9.0 Beta and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via the session parameter, possibly related to format string specifiers or malformed URL encoding.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-5033 affects the vCAP 1.9.0 Beta and earlier versions of the StoresAndCalendarsList.cgi web application developed by Paul Smith Computer Services. This represents a significant security weakness that could be exploited by remote attackers to disrupt service availability. The vulnerability specifically targets the session parameter handling within the CGI script, which forms a critical component of the application's authentication and session management infrastructure. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability suggests that the underlying flaw may involve multiple potential attack vectors or that the exact technical details were not fully disclosed in the initial reporting.
The technical implementation flaw appears to stem from improper handling of the session parameter, potentially involving format string vulnerabilities or issues with malformed URL encoding. Format string vulnerabilities typically occur when user-supplied input is directly used in printf or similar functions without proper sanitization, allowing attackers to manipulate memory locations or cause application crashes. In this case, the session parameter likely serves as an entry point for attackers to inject malicious input that can trigger buffer overflows or other memory corruption issues. The vulnerability's relationship to URL encoding suggests that improper handling of encoded characters in the session parameter could lead to unexpected behavior in the application's parsing logic. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-134, which covers format string vulnerabilities, and may also relate to CWE-77, which addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in command lines.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it could potentially enable more sophisticated attacks depending on the application's architecture and the specific nature of the memory corruption. Remote attackers could exploit this weakness to crash the web server process, causing the application to become unavailable to legitimate users. The vulnerability's location within a CGI script indicates that it likely affects the entire web application's availability, as CGI scripts typically handle critical application functions. The attack vector through the session parameter suggests that even simple HTTP requests could trigger the vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous as it requires minimal effort from attackers. This type of vulnerability would be categorized under the ATT&CK framework as a Denial of Service technique, potentially falling under the T1499 category for network denial of service attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-5033 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected vCAP versions to address the session parameter handling flaw. Organizations should implement input validation controls that sanitize all session parameter values before processing, ensuring that special characters are properly escaped or removed. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls could help detect and block malicious session parameter values, though these should not be considered a complete solution. The vulnerability's nature suggests that proper parameter encoding validation and format string handling should be implemented throughout the application's session management code. Security teams should also consider implementing monitoring for unusual session parameter patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, the application should be configured to use secure session management practices including proper session timeout mechanisms and secure cookie attributes to minimize the impact of potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and code reviews focusing on input handling and session management would help prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future versions of the application.