CVE-2007-4629 in MapServer
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the processLine funtion in maptemplate.c in MapServer before 4.10.3 allows attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code via a mapfile with a long layer name, group name, or metadata entry name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4629 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the MapServer mapping software ecosystem, specifically within the processLine function located in the maptemplate.c source file. This issue affects MapServer versions prior to 4.10.3 and demonstrates a classic software security weakness that can be exploited to compromise system integrity and availability. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly constrain the length of various identifier elements within mapfiles, creating exploitable conditions that can be leveraged by malicious actors to disrupt normal operations or gain unauthorized system access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the processLine function processes mapfile configurations containing excessively long layer names, group names, or metadata entry names. The function does not perform adequate bounds checking or length validation on these input parameters, allowing attackers to supply malformed data that exceeds the allocated buffer space. This buffer overflow condition manifests when the software attempts to store the oversized identifiers in fixed-size memory buffers, causing adjacent memory locations to be overwritten with attacker-controlled data. The vulnerability specifically aligns with CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows data to be written beyond the boundaries of allocated memory regions, and the vulnerability can be classified under the broader category of CWE-787, representing out-of-bounds writes that occur when data is written to memory locations beyond the intended buffer limits.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable arbitrary code execution within the context of the MapServer process. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially formatted mapfiles that contain excessively long identifier strings, which when processed by the vulnerable software can result in stack corruption, heap corruption, or other memory management issues that may be leveraged for privilege escalation. The vulnerability's exploitation potential aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter usage, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system. Additionally, the vulnerability can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1499, representing network disruption and denial of service attacks, as the primary impact includes system availability degradation and potential complete service disruption.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-4629 should prioritize immediate patching of affected MapServer installations to version 4.10.3 or later, where the buffer overflow conditions have been addressed through proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures that enforce strict length limitations on all mapfile identifier elements, particularly layer names, group names, and metadata entries. Security monitoring should include detection of malformed mapfile configurations and unusual processing patterns that may indicate attempted exploitation. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of MapServer instances to untrusted users or external networks, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation. System administrators should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious mapfile content patterns and establish regular security assessments to verify that all MapServer installations maintain current patch levels and security configurations.