CVE-2008-0550 in Steamcast
Summary
by MITRE
Off-by-one error in Steamcast 0.9.75 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) or execute arbitrary code via a certain HTTP request that leads to a buffer overflow, as demonstrated by a long User-Agent header.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0550 represents a critical off-by-one error in the Steamcast media streaming server version 0.9.75 and earlier. This flaw exists within the HTTP request processing mechanism where the software fails to properly validate the length of the User-Agent header field, creating a condition that can be exploited by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause daemon crashes. The issue stems from improper boundary checking in memory allocation routines that handle HTTP header parsing, specifically when processing user-supplied input data. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of buffer overflow conditions, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication and can be executed through standard HTTP requests, making it highly accessible to malicious actors. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic stack-based buffer overflow scenario where the User-Agent header value is copied into a fixed-size buffer without adequate length validation, allowing attackers to exceed the allocated memory space and potentially overwrite critical program execution data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to encompass full system compromise capabilities. When exploited, the buffer overflow can lead to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the Steamcast daemon process, potentially allowing attackers to gain complete control over the affected system. The daemon crash scenario represents a more limited impact but still constitutes a significant availability threat, especially in production environments where continuous media streaming services are critical. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by crafting specially malformed HTTP requests with excessively long User-Agent headers that trigger the memory corruption. The exploitation process typically involves calculating the exact buffer size required to overwrite return addresses or other critical memory locations, followed by injecting malicious payload code that gets executed when the corrupted program continues execution. This vulnerability directly maps to the ATT&CK technique T1203, which describes the use of malformed input to trigger memory corruption in network services, and aligns with the broader category of T1190 which encompasses attacks targeting software vulnerabilities in network infrastructure components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-0550 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Steamcast installations to version 0.9.76 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the buffer overflow condition. Organizations should implement network-level protections including firewall rules that limit HTTP request sizes and implement rate limiting to prevent exploitation attempts. The use of intrusion detection systems with signature-based detection capabilities can help identify exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and bounds checking in all HTTP header processing functions serves as a defensive measure against similar issues. System administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the vulnerable software and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place. The fix typically involves adding proper length validation before copying user-supplied data into fixed-size buffers, implementing stack canaries, and using compiler security features such as stack protection mechanisms. Regular security audits of network services and adherence to secure coding practices, including input sanitization and memory management best practices, are essential for preventing similar vulnerabilities in future software development cycles. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts and maintain detailed logging of HTTP traffic for forensic analysis purposes.