CVE-2008-3547 in OpenTTD
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the server in OpenTTD 0.6.1 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (persistent game disruption) or possibly execute arbitrary code via vectors involving many long names for "companies and clients."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3547 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the server component of OpenTTD version 0.6.1 and earlier releases. This issue affects the game's network server functionality where it fails to properly validate input lengths when processing company and client names. The vulnerability arises from insufficient bounds checking in the server code that handles network communications, specifically when parsing user-provided identifiers. Attackers can exploit this weakness by sending specially crafted network packets containing excessively long strings for company or client names, which then trigger the buffer overflow condition within the server process. The flaw exists in the application's input validation mechanisms and demonstrates poor memory management practices that are commonly associated with buffer overflow vulnerabilities.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through authenticated network connections to the OpenTTD server, meaning that attackers must first establish valid credentials to access the game server. When the server receives a malformed packet containing overly long company or client name strings, the insufficient input validation causes the program to write beyond the allocated memory buffer boundaries. This memory corruption can result in unpredictable program behavior, including application crashes that lead to persistent game disruption and denial of service conditions. In some scenarios, depending on the exact memory layout and the nature of the overflow, attackers may potentially achieve arbitrary code execution within the context of the server process, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for multiplayer gaming environments where server stability is paramount.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-3547 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the entire gaming infrastructure. Game servers running vulnerable versions of OpenTTD become susceptible to persistent denial of service attacks that can render multiplayer sessions unusable for legitimate players. The vulnerability affects the core multiplayer functionality that makes OpenTTD attractive to players, as it undermines the reliability of hosted games and can be exploited to disrupt ongoing gameplay sessions. Additionally, the potential for arbitrary code execution creates a more severe threat vector that could allow attackers to gain control over the server machine itself, potentially leading to further compromise of network resources or data theft. This vulnerability particularly impacts game administrators and server operators who rely on stable server operations for their gaming communities.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected OpenTTD installations to version 0.6.2 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. System administrators should implement network monitoring to detect unusual packet sizes or malformed data patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing proper bounds checking on all user-provided strings, specifically company and client names, ensuring that input lengths are strictly validated before processing. Organizations should also consider implementing network access controls and authentication mechanisms to limit exposure, as the vulnerability requires authenticated access to exploit. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of how insufficient input validation can create severe security implications in networked applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique through application vulnerabilities, where an authenticated user can leverage a buffer overflow to achieve unauthorized system access, emphasizing the importance of proper input validation and memory safety practices in software development.