CVE-2007-4638 in StarCraft Brood War
Summary
by MITRE
Blizzard Entertainment StarCraft Brood War 1.15.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a malformed map, which triggers an out-of-bounds read during a minimap preview.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4638 affects Blizzard Entertainment StarCraft Brood War version 1.15.1 and earlier, representing a critical denial of service flaw that can be exploited remotely by attackers. This issue stems from inadequate input validation during the processing of game map files, specifically when generating minimap previews. The vulnerability manifests when a maliciously crafted map file is loaded into the game, causing the application to crash due to improper memory access patterns.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in an out-of-bounds read condition that occurs during the minimap preview generation process. When the game engine attempts to render a minimap preview for a malformed map file, it accesses memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This memory access violation triggers an application crash, effectively causing a denial of service condition that prevents legitimate users from accessing the game or loading valid map files. The flaw is classified as a buffer overflow vulnerability under CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to application instability and crashes.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to both individual players and game servers hosting multiplayer environments. Attackers can remotely exploit this flaw by distributing malicious map files through various channels including game forums, file sharing platforms, or direct downloads. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it can affect the entire gaming experience for players in multiplayer matches, potentially causing server-wide outages or forcing administrators to temporarily disable map loading functionality. The vulnerability affects the game's integrity and can be leveraged to disrupt gaming communities and competitive environments.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with tactics described in the ATT&CK framework under the 'Execution' and 'Denial of Service' phases, where adversaries can leverage application flaws to cause system instability. Network-based attacks targeting this vulnerability can be executed with minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous for widespread exploitation. Game servers and hosting platforms that allow user-generated content or map sharing are especially vulnerable, as they become potential vectors for distributing malicious map files that can compromise the entire gaming infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of input validation measures that sanitize map file contents before processing, particularly during minimap preview generation. The recommended approach involves implementing bounds checking mechanisms that verify all memory access operations during map file parsing, preventing out-of-bounds reads from occurring. Additionally, Blizzard should implement proper error handling and graceful degradation mechanisms that allow the application to continue functioning even when encountering malformed map files. System administrators should also consider implementing network-level filtering to prevent the distribution of potentially malicious map files through game-related services, and regular updates should be deployed to address the underlying buffer overflow condition that enables this attack vector.