CVE-2008-0955 in Creative Software AutoUpdate Engine
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the Creative Software AutoUpdate Engine ActiveX control in CTSUEng.ocx allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long CacheFolder property value.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0955 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the Creative Software AutoUpdate Engine ActiveX control component known as CTSUEng.ocx. This particular vulnerability resides in the handling of the CacheFolder property, which creates an exploitable condition when malformed input exceeds the allocated stack buffer space. The flaw manifests specifically in the context of Microsoft Windows operating systems where ActiveX controls are executed within web browsers or other host applications that support ActiveX technology. The vulnerability affects various versions of Creative Software products that utilize this AutoUpdate Engine component, making it a widespread concern for organizations relying on these multimedia applications.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the CacheFolder property implementation of the CTSUEng.ocx ActiveX control. When an attacker provides an excessively long string value to the CacheFolder property, the control fails to validate the input length against the predetermined buffer size allocated on the stack. This allows the malicious input to overwrite adjacent memory locations including return addresses and control data structures. The overflow occurs because the vulnerable code does not perform adequate input validation or length checking before copying user-supplied data into the fixed-size stack buffer, creating a classic stack corruption scenario that can be leveraged for arbitrary code execution. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow as defined in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, which specifically addresses buffer overflows occurring in stack memory regions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to encompass potential system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious web pages or downloadable content that triggers the vulnerable ActiveX control with oversized CacheFolder property values. Successful exploitation results in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running the vulnerable application, typically with system-level access when the browser or host application operates with elevated permissions. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be delivered through web-based attacks without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website, making it suitable for drive-by download scenarios. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, which describes how adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to execute malicious code on target systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-0955 should focus on immediate remediation through software updates and patches provided by Creative Software, as well as implementing defensive measures to reduce attack surface exposure. Organizations must ensure that all affected systems receive the latest security updates from Creative Software that address the buffer overflow vulnerability in CTSUEng.ocx. Additionally, security administrators should implement browser security policies that restrict ActiveX control execution or disable ActiveX controls entirely in web browsers, particularly in environments where users access untrusted web content. Network-level protections including firewall rules and web application firewalls can help detect and block malicious traffic attempting to exploit this vulnerability. The implementation of DEP (Data Execution Prevention) and ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization) can also provide additional defense-in-depth measures that make exploitation more difficult. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining instances of the vulnerable ActiveX control on systems, and user education regarding the dangers of visiting untrusted websites should be emphasized to reduce successful exploitation attempts.