CVE-2007-2213 in WS_FTP
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Initialize function in NetscapeFTPHandler in WS_FTP Home and Professional 2007 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL dereference and application crash) via unspecified vectors related to "improper arguments."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/29/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2213 resides within the NetscapeFTPHandler component of WS_FTP Home and Professional 2007 software, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks through NULL dereference conditions. This issue specifically manifests within the Initialize function of the FTP handler module, where improper argument handling creates exploitable conditions that can crash the application. The vulnerability falls under the category of unspecified attack vectors, suggesting that multiple pathways exist for exploitation, though the exact methods remain undocumented in the public record. This type of vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in input validation and error handling mechanisms, where the software fails to properly validate or sanitize input parameters before processing them within the Initialize function.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers provide malformed or unexpected arguments to the Initialize function, leading to a NULL pointer dereference that ultimately causes the application to crash and terminate unexpectedly. This behavior constitutes a classic denial of service condition that can be leveraged by malicious actors to disrupt legitimate service availability. The underlying flaw demonstrates poor defensive programming practices, where the software does not adequately check for NULL values or validate argument types before attempting to process them. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-476 which describes NULL Pointer Dereference, a well-documented weakness that occurs when software attempts to access a memory location through a pointer that has a NULL value. The vulnerability represents a failure in proper error handling and input validation, creating an opportunity for attackers to disrupt service availability through controlled input manipulation.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-2213 extends beyond simple application crashes, as it can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring authentication or specialized privileges, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where WS_FTP services are exposed to external traffic. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability and reliability of file transfer operations, potentially disrupting business processes that depend on stable FTP connectivity. Organizations utilizing WS_FTP Home and Professional 2007 may experience service interruptions, data transfer failures, and potential loss of productivity when this vulnerability is successfully exploited. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that FTP services often operate on standard ports and may be accessible from untrusted networks, creating multiple potential entry points for exploitation. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques related to service availability disruption and can be categorized under initial access methods that leverage software weaknesses to establish persistent disruption conditions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-2213 should prioritize immediate software updates and patches from the vendor, as the vulnerability represents a known flaw that has likely been addressed in subsequent releases. Organizations should implement network segmentation and firewall rules to limit access to FTP services, particularly when these services are running on vulnerable versions of WS_FTP. Input validation measures should be enhanced at network boundaries to filter out potentially malicious arguments before they reach the vulnerable application components. System administrators should monitor for unusual FTP service behavior or crash patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious FTP traffic patterns and establishing robust backup and recovery procedures can help minimize the operational impact should exploitation occur. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing proper security controls to prevent exploitation of known weaknesses in network services.