CVE-2007-1379 in PHP
Summary
by MITRE
The ovrimos_close function in the Ovrimos extension for PHP before 4.4.5 can trigger efree of an arbitrary address, which might allow context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-1379 represents a critical memory management flaw within the Ovrimos database extension for PHP systems. This issue affects PHP versions prior to 4.4.5 and stems from improper handling of memory deallocation within the ovrimos_close function. The vulnerability manifests when the extension attempts to free memory at an arbitrary memory address, creating a potential exploitation vector for malicious actors who can manipulate the function's behavior to execute arbitrary code on the target system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-476, which describes NULL pointer dereference conditions, and more specifically relates to improper handling of memory deallocation operations. The ovrimos_close function in the affected PHP versions contains a flaw where it can be coerced into calling efree with an arbitrary memory address as an argument. This improper memory management creates a situation where an attacker with context-dependent access can manipulate the function parameters to cause the extension to free memory at locations controlled by the attacker, potentially leading to code execution through memory corruption techniques.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to web applications that utilize the Ovrimos database extension for PHP. The context-dependent nature of the attack means that exploitation requires some level of access to the system or application that uses the vulnerable extension. However, once exploited, the vulnerability can allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the web server process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The attack vector typically involves manipulating database connection parameters or connection states to trigger the flawed memory deallocation behavior.
The security implications extend beyond simple code execution to include potential privilege escalation and persistent system compromise. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to establish backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive data, or use the compromised system as a staging ground for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would fall under privilege escalation techniques and code injection methods, specifically targeting the application layer through memory corruption vulnerabilities. Organizations using vulnerable PHP installations with the Ovrimos extension should prioritize immediate patching and implementation of additional security controls to prevent exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate upgrading of PHP installations to version 4.4.5 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the memory management issue. Additionally, administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running vulnerable PHP versions. The use of PHP input validation and proper error handling can help reduce the attack surface, while regular security audits and monitoring should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify patterns associated with memory corruption attacks targeting PHP applications.