CVE-2008-3361 in IntelliTamper
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in IntelliTamper 2.07 allows remote web sites to execute arbitrary code via a long HTTP Server header.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3361 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within IntelliTamper 2.07, a web application firewall or proxy tool designed to protect web applications from various security threats. This vulnerability specifically affects the handling of HTTP Server headers, which are standard components of HTTP responses that contain information about the server software and its configuration. The flaw exists in the software's response processing logic where it fails to properly validate or limit the length of incoming Server headers, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a remote web server sends an HTTP response containing an excessively long Server header field that exceeds the allocated buffer space within IntelliTamper's memory stack. When the software attempts to process this oversized header value, it overflows the predetermined buffer boundaries, potentially overwriting adjacent memory locations including return addresses and control data. This memory corruption enables attackers to manipulate the program execution flow and inject malicious code that can be executed with the privileges of the IntelliTamper process, which typically runs with elevated system permissions due to its role in network traffic inspection.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations relying on IntelliTamper for web application security protection. Attackers can leverage this flaw to gain arbitrary code execution on systems running the vulnerable software, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or establishment of persistent backdoors. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require local access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with web applications exposed to the internet. The vulnerability essentially undermines the security posture of any network that depends on IntelliTamper for traffic filtering and protection, as it allows attackers to bypass the very security controls the software is designed to provide.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite stack data. This weakness is categorized under the broader class of injection flaws that enable code execution through memory corruption. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques such as T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access through exploitation of remote services. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-supplied patches, implementing network segmentation to limit exposure, and monitoring for suspicious HTTP traffic patterns. Additionally, network administrators should consider deploying intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts and ensure that all web application security tools are regularly updated to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.