CVE-2008-7126 in VisiBroker
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in osagent.exe in Borland VisiBroker Smart Agent 08.00.00.C1.03 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted packet with a large string length value to UDP port 14000, which triggers a heap-based buffer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-7126 represents a critical security flaw in Borland VisiBroker Smart Agent version 08.00.00.C1.03 and earlier installations. This issue manifests within the osagent.exe component which operates as a remote monitoring and management agent for the VisiBroker middleware platform. The vulnerability specifically targets the agent's handling of incoming network packets transmitted over UDP port 14000, which serves as the primary communication channel for the smart agent's operational functions.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from an integer overflow condition that occurs when processing string length values within the packet parsing logic. When a remote attacker crafts a malicious packet containing an excessively large string length value, the application fails to properly validate or handle the integer overflow scenario. This flaw falls under the CWE-190 category of "Integer Overflow or Wraparound" and represents a classic heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability that can be exploited through improper input validation. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-121 which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write beyond allocated memory boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable remote code execution. When the malformed packet is received and processed by the vulnerable osagent.exe application, the integer overflow causes the application to allocate insufficient memory for the intended buffer operations. This memory corruption scenario can lead to application crashes and subsequent system instability. More critically, the heap-based buffer overflow condition provides attackers with the potential to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially allowing for arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the running agent process. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it operates over UDP port 14000, which is typically exposed to external networks and accessible to unauthenticated remote attackers.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal network access and can be accomplished through network packet crafting tools that generate malformed packets with oversized string length fields. The attack vector represents a remote code execution vulnerability classified under the MITRE ATT&CK framework's technique T1203 for "Exploitation for Client Execution" and T1068 for "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation." Organizations running affected VisiBroker Smart Agent versions face significant risk as the vulnerability can be exploited without authentication, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where such agents might be deployed across multiple network segments. The vulnerability affects systems where the smart agent is configured to listen on UDP port 14000, typically in distributed application environments using Borland's VisiBroker middleware for object request brokering services.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate patching of affected systems with the vendor-provided security updates, network segmentation to restrict access to UDP port 14000, and implementation of network access controls to prevent unauthorized access to the vulnerable service. Organizations should also consider disabling the smart agent functionality if it is not required for business operations, as this represents the most effective defense against exploitation. Additionally, implementing network monitoring and intrusion detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts by monitoring for malformed packets targeting UDP port 14000. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in network services, particularly those operating in enterprise environments where remote code execution capabilities can lead to significant security breaches and system compromise.