CVE-2006-5058 in Call of Duty 2
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in (1) Call of Duty 1.5b and earlier, (2) Call of Duty United Offensive 1.51b and earlier, and (3) Call of Duty 2 1.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long map argument to the "callvote map" command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/23/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-5058 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw affecting multiple iterations of the popular first-person shooter game Call of Duty and its expansion packs. This vulnerability resides within the game's networking and voting system, specifically in how the game processes map arguments submitted through the "callvote map" command. The affected versions include Call of Duty 1.5b and earlier, Call of Duty United Offensive 1.51b and earlier, and Call of Duty 2 1.3 and earlier, indicating a widespread issue across the game's ecosystem.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and bounds checking within the game's client-side code. When a player submits a vote for a map using the "callvote map" command, the game fails to properly validate the length of the map argument provided. This allows an attacker to craft a maliciously long string that exceeds the allocated buffer space, causing a buffer overflow condition. The overflow occurs in the memory region allocated for storing the map name, which can lead to overwriting adjacent memory locations and potentially corrupting the program's execution flow.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple game disruption, as it enables remote code execution capabilities for attackers. This means that an attacker who can connect to a vulnerable game server or manipulate the game's network communication can potentially execute arbitrary code on the target system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multiplayer gaming environments where servers are accessible over the internet and where players may not be authenticated or verified. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and could potentially be leveraged to achieve privilege escalation or system compromise depending on the execution environment.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal technical expertise and can be accomplished through network-based attacks that manipulate the game's voting system. Attackers can craft specially formatted network packets containing excessively long map names that trigger the buffer overflow when processed by the game client. This makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to malicious actors who may seek to exploit gaming servers for unauthorized access or to disrupt gameplay services. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would likely map to T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and potentially T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution, given the nature of client-side code execution.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve updating to patched versions of the affected software, as the original developers released updates to address the buffer overflow condition. System administrators should ensure that all gaming servers are running patched versions of the Call of Duty software and that automatic update mechanisms are enabled. Network-level protections such as firewall rules that restrict unnecessary network access to gaming ports and implementing intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of defense. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in game development, particularly for networked applications that process user-provided data. The security community should also consider implementing runtime protections and memory corruption detection mechanisms to prevent exploitation of similar buffer overflow vulnerabilities in other software applications.