CVE-2007-1580 in FTPDMIN
Summary
by MITRE
FTPDMIN 0.96 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) via a LIST command for a Windows drive letter, as demonstrated using "//A:". NOTE: this has been reported as a buffer overflow by some sources, but there is not a long argument.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-1580 affects FTPDMIN version 0.96, a file transfer protocol daemon implementation that serves as a server for file sharing operations. This specific flaw manifests when the daemon processes a LIST command targeting a Windows drive letter, particularly demonstrated through the malicious input "//A:". The vulnerability represents a significant security concern as it enables remote attackers to deliberately crash the FTP daemon service, thereby disrupting legitimate file transfer operations and potentially affecting system availability.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the improper handling of input parameters within the FTPDMIN daemon's command processing routine. When the LIST command is executed with a Windows drive letter specification such as "//A:", the daemon fails to properly validate or sanitize the input before processing it. This inadequate input validation leads to a buffer overflow condition within the application's memory management system, causing the daemon to crash and terminate its operation. The vulnerability specifically occurs during the parsing of directory listing requests for Windows-specific drive letter references, making it particularly relevant in environments where Windows file systems are accessed through FTP protocols.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it provides attackers with a reliable method to cause persistent denial of service conditions. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness without requiring authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous in publicly accessible FTP environments. The daemon crash results in complete service unavailability until manual intervention is performed to restart the FTP service, potentially affecting legitimate users and business operations. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability aspect of the CIA triad and can be classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, though the limited argument length suggests a more constrained attack surface than typical buffer overflow scenarios.
Organizations utilizing FTPDMIN 0.96 should implement immediate mitigations to protect their systems from exploitation. The primary recommendation involves applying the vendor-provided patch or upgrading to a newer version of the FTPDMIN software that addresses this input validation weakness. Network administrators should also consider implementing firewall rules to restrict access to FTP services from untrusted networks and deploy intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious LIST command patterns targeting drive letters. Additionally, monitoring and logging of FTP daemon activities should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1499.004 (Authorization Token Manipulation) and T1566.001 (Phishing) as attackers may use this weakness to disrupt services, and to T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) for potential reconnaissance activities.
The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in network services and highlights how seemingly benign operations like directory listing can become attack vectors when inadequate sanitization occurs. This particular flaw emphasizes the need for developers to implement robust error handling and input validation mechanisms, particularly in protocols that handle file system operations. The limited argument length mentioned in the vulnerability description suggests that the buffer overflow is not extensive but still sufficient to cause daemon termination, indicating that the vulnerability may be exploitable through simple remote commands without complex payload construction. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to isolate FTP services and reduce the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for outdated FTP daemon implementations to prevent similar issues from affecting operational infrastructure.