CVE-2008-2749 in Java System Calendar Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in cshttpd in Sun Java System Calendar Server 6 and 6.3, and Sun ONE Calendar Server 6.0, when access logging (aka service.http.commandlog.all) is enabled, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2749 represents a critical denial of service weakness within the cshttpd component of Sun Java System Calendar Server versions 6 and 6.3, as well as Sun ONE Calendar Server 6.0. This issue manifests specifically when the access logging feature, designated as service.http.commandlog.all, is activated within the server configuration. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the network stack and constitutes a security flaw that can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication credentials. The affected software components process HTTP requests through the cshttpd daemon, which serves as the core web server functionality for calendar services. When access logging is enabled, the server maintains detailed records of all HTTP commands and requests passing through the system, creating a potential attack surface that adversaries can leverage to disrupt normal service operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms within the cshttpd daemon when processing HTTP requests under logging conditions. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially malformed or malicious HTTP requests that trigger buffer overflows, memory corruption, or other resource exhaustion conditions within the daemon process. The vulnerability's unspecified nature suggests that multiple attack vectors may exist, potentially including malformed headers, excessive request parameters, or crafted URL structures that cause the logging subsystem to fail catastrophically. The daemon crash occurs because the logging mechanism does not properly sanitize or validate incoming HTTP command data, leading to unpredictable behavior that ultimately results in process termination and complete service unavailability. This flaw directly relates to CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios, both of which are common attack patterns that can lead to denial of service conditions in network services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the availability of calendar services for organizations relying on these Sun calendar servers. When exploited, the vulnerability causes the cshttpd daemon to crash and restart, leading to temporary unavailability of calendar functionality for all users. This disruption can severely impact business operations, particularly in enterprise environments where calendar synchronization and scheduling are critical components of daily operations. The vulnerability affects organizations that have enabled access logging as part of their security monitoring or compliance requirements, creating a paradoxical situation where the very feature designed to enhance security becomes a point of failure. Network administrators may not immediately recognize the root cause of service outages, as the daemon crash appears to be a system failure rather than an intentional attack, complicating incident response and forensic analysis. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which describes denial of service via resource consumption, and T1566.001, covering spearphishing with a malicious attachment, as attackers might exploit this weakness to disrupt calendar services during targeted attacks.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including disabling access logging when not actively required, applying available patches from Sun Microsystems, and implementing network-level monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to patched versions of the calendar server software, as Sun released updates addressing the underlying buffer overflow conditions in the cshttpd component. Network segmentation and intrusion detection systems can help detect anomalous HTTP traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and sanitization within the server configuration can reduce the attack surface, while regular security assessments should verify that access logging features are properly configured without introducing unnecessary vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and the risks associated with enabling logging features without proper security hardening measures.