CVE-2008-6672 in SunAge
Summary
by MITRE
Vertex4 SunAge 1.08.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service ("runtime error") via a crafted join packet to UDP port 27960, probably related to an invalid nickname command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/05/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-6672 affects Vertex4 SunAge version 1.08.1 and earlier implementations, representing a significant denial of service weakness in networked gaming protocols. This vulnerability manifests when remote attackers send specifically crafted join packets to UDP port 27960, which is commonly used by certain gaming engines for client-server communication. The flaw results in a runtime error that crashes the affected service, effectively rendering the gaming environment unavailable to legitimate users. The issue stems from improper input validation within the nickname command processing mechanism, where the system fails to properly handle malformed or maliciously constructed data packets.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input boundaries, and CWE-248, concerning exposure of a runtime error to an attacker. The attack vector operates through UDP protocol, making it particularly challenging to detect and mitigate since UDP lacks the connection-oriented reliability features that might otherwise provide early warning of malformed traffic. The specific port 27960 serves as the target because it represents the standard communication port for certain game engines, making this attack surface particularly relevant for gaming servers and multiplayer environments that utilize these protocols.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can be leveraged to create sustained denial of service conditions that may affect entire gaming sessions or server availability. Attackers can exploit this weakness without requiring authentication or special privileges, making it particularly dangerous in public gaming environments where servers are accessible to anyone on the internet. The runtime error condition causes the application to terminate unexpectedly, potentially leading to data loss or session disruption for legitimate players. This vulnerability particularly affects multiplayer gaming environments where server stability and continuous availability are critical for user experience and game integrity.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust input validation mechanisms that filter and sanitize all incoming data packets before processing them within the application. Network-level defenses such as UDP port filtering and rate limiting can help reduce the effectiveness of such attacks by limiting the volume of potentially malicious traffic. Additionally, implementing proper error handling and graceful degradation mechanisms can prevent runtime errors from causing complete service termination. Organizations should also consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on suspicious packet patterns targeting UDP port 27960. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network disruption through denial of service attacks, and represents a classic example of how improper input validation can lead to critical service availability issues in networked applications. Regular security updates and patches should be applied immediately to address this vulnerability, as the affected versions of SunAge are no longer supported and lack modern security hardening features.