CVE-2007-6562 in TCPreen
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in the use of FD_SET in TCPreen before 1.4.4 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service via multiple concurrent connections, which result in overflows in the (1) SocketAddress::Connect function in libsolve/sockprot.cpp and (2) monitor_bridge function in src/bridge.cpp.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-6562 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow issue affecting the TCPreen network monitoring tool version 1.4.3 and earlier. This flaw stems from improper handling of file descriptor sets within the FD_SET macro usage, creating exploitable conditions that can be leveraged by remote attackers to disrupt system operations. The vulnerability specifically targets the libsolve/sockprot.cpp and src/bridge.cpp components of the software, where the buffer overflows occur during network connection processing.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the misuse of the FD_SET macro in conjunction with the select() system call, which is fundamental to network I/O multiplexing in Unix-like systems. When TCPreen processes multiple concurrent connections, the application fails to properly validate the number of file descriptors being added to the fd_set structure, leading to stack memory corruption. The SocketAddress::Connect function in libsolve/sockprot.cpp and the monitor_bridge function in src/bridge.cpp both demonstrate this flaw by not enforcing proper bounds checking on the number of connections or file descriptors that can be processed simultaneously.
This vulnerability operates under the ATT&CK framework as a denial of service attack vector, specifically categorized under the technique of "Resource Exhaustion" where the attacker leverages the buffer overflow to cause system instability and prevent legitimate service delivery. The flaw manifests as a stack-based buffer overflow, which is classified as CWE-121 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, representing stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent stack memory.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-6562 extends beyond simple service disruption, as the buffer overflow can potentially lead to arbitrary code execution if proper exploitation techniques are applied. Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability by establishing multiple concurrent connections to the target system, triggering the overflow conditions in the affected functions. The DoS nature of this vulnerability means that once exploited, the affected TCPreen instance becomes unresponsive and requires manual intervention to restore normal operation, potentially affecting network monitoring capabilities and security posture.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate patching to version 1.4.4 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for proper fd_set handling. System administrators should also implement connection rate limiting and monitoring to detect abnormal connection patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, network segmentation and firewall rules can help limit exposure by restricting access to TCPreen services from untrusted networks. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in network applications, particularly when dealing with system calls that manipulate file descriptor sets and handle concurrent connections.