CVE-2008-6175 in SilverSHielD
Summary
by MITRE
SilverSHielD 1.0.2.34 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted argument to the opendir SFTP command.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-6175 affects SilverSHielD version 1.0.2.34, a software implementation of the SFTP protocol that provides secure file transfer capabilities over SSH. This vulnerability represents a critical flaw in the application's handling of SFTP operations, specifically within the opendir command functionality that is essential for directory traversal and file system navigation. The issue manifests when the application receives a malformed or crafted argument that triggers an improper handling of the directory opening operation, leading to application instability and potential system unavailability.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and error handling within the SFTP implementation. When a remote attacker submits a specially crafted argument to the opendir command, the SilverSHielD application fails to properly validate the input parameters before processing them. This lack of proper sanitization allows malicious input to bypass normal processing flows and directly impact the application's memory management or control structures. The vulnerability is classified as a buffer over-read or improper state handling condition that can cause the application to crash or terminate unexpectedly, resulting in a denial of service condition that affects legitimate users attempting to access the SFTP service.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to organizations relying on SilverSHielD for secure file transfers and remote access capabilities. The remote attack vector means that adversaries can exploit this weakness without requiring physical access or local privileges, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible SFTP servers. The denial of service impact can disrupt business operations, prevent authorized users from accessing critical files, and potentially create opportunities for more sophisticated attacks if the service becomes unavailable during critical operations. The vulnerability affects the availability aspect of the CIA triad, directly compromising the system's ability to provide continuous service to legitimate users.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which addresses buffer overflow conditions, and represents a specific case of improper input validation that leads to application instability. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to network denial of service attacks, where adversaries leverage application-level flaws to disrupt service availability. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patch or upgrade to a newer version of SilverSHielD that addresses this input validation issue. Network segmentation and access controls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to limit exposure, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual patterns of SFTP command usage that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other SFTP implementations within the organization's infrastructure.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the importance of proper input validation and error handling in security-critical applications. Software vendors should implement comprehensive testing procedures including fuzzing and input validation testing to identify similar weaknesses before deployment. Organizations should maintain up-to-date security patches and establish robust vulnerability management processes to quickly address identified weaknesses. The incident underscores the need for secure coding practices that prevent buffer overflows and improper state handling, particularly in network services that handle user-provided data. This vulnerability serves as a reminder that even seemingly simple operations like directory listing can present significant security risks if proper validation and error handling mechanisms are not implemented.