CVE-2007-2478 in Trillian Pro
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple heap-based buffer overflows in the IRC component in Cerulean Studios Trillian Pro before 3.1.5.1 allow remote attackers to corrupt memory and possibly execute arbitrary code via (1) a URL with a long UTF-8 string, which triggers the overflow when the user highlights it, or (2) a font HTML tag with a face attribute containing a long UTF-8 string.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/18/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2478 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow in the IRC component of Cerulean Studios Trillian Pro version 3.1.5.0 and earlier. This security flaw exists within the application's handling of user-provided data, specifically when processing UTF-8 encoded strings in URL and HTML font tag contexts. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of memory safety and input validation, creating a potential pathway for remote code execution through carefully crafted malicious input.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within Trillian Pro's IRC client component. When a user encounters a URL containing an excessively long UTF-8 string, the application fails to validate the string length before processing it for display purposes. Similarly, when processing HTML font tags with face attributes containing extended UTF-8 sequences, the application does not enforce adequate buffer size limitations. This lack of input sanitization creates exploitable conditions where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory regions in the heap. The vulnerability specifically manifests when users highlight these malicious strings, triggering the buffer overflow condition that can corrupt program memory and potentially allow arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it provides remote attackers with the capability to execute malicious code on affected systems. The attack vectors leverage common web-based communication patterns where users might encounter malicious URLs or HTML content within IRC chat environments. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in networked environments where users frequently interact with untrusted content. The heap-based nature of the overflow means that attackers can potentially manipulate heap metadata, leading to more sophisticated exploitation techniques including return-oriented programming or stack pivoting. According to CWE classification, this represents a CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability, which directly maps to the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-2478 require immediate application updates to Trillian Pro version 3.1.5.1 or later, which contain proper bounds checking and input validation mechanisms. Organizations should implement network-based restrictions to prevent access to known malicious URLs and HTML content, particularly in environments where users might encounter untrusted communications. Additionally, security awareness training should emphasize the dangers of highlighting or clicking on suspicious URLs within chat applications. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices, aligning with industry standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST guidelines for secure coding practices. Network administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to detect and block malicious UTF-8 sequences before they reach vulnerable applications. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar memory corruption vulnerabilities in other communication applications and ensure comprehensive protection against similar attack vectors.