CVE-2010-0391 in InterBase SMP 2009
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in Embarcadero Technologies InterBase SMP 2009 9.0.3.437 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unknown vectors involving crafted packets. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/29/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-0391 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow in Embarcadero Technologies InterBase SMP 2009 version 9.0.3.437, a widely used database management system that serves as the foundation for many enterprise applications. This flaw exists within the network protocol handling mechanisms of the InterBase database server, specifically in how it processes incoming network packets from remote clients. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as stack-based buffer overflow, which occurs when more data is written to a fixed-length buffer located on the stack than it can accommodate, potentially leading to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The remote attack vector means that malicious actors can exploit this vulnerability without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous for networked database environments.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the InterBase server's network protocol implementation, where crafted malicious packets can trigger buffer overflow conditions in the stack memory space. When the database server receives specially constructed network packets, it fails to properly bounds-check the data before copying it into fixed-size stack buffers, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations including return addresses and control data. This memory corruption can be leveraged to redirect program execution flow to malicious code injected by the attacker, effectively enabling remote code execution capabilities. The unspecified nature of the exact packet vectors suggests that multiple attack surfaces within the protocol implementation may be susceptible to this type of exploitation, making the vulnerability particularly challenging to fully characterize and mitigate.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to organizations relying on InterBase 2009 databases, as successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, data theft, or service disruption. The remote execution capability means that attackers can potentially gain unauthorized access to database servers from anywhere on the network, making it a prime target for cybercriminals seeking to establish persistent access to enterprise environments. Database administrators and security teams face the challenge of identifying vulnerable systems without knowing the exact attack vectors, as the vulnerability can be triggered through various legitimate network communications that appear normal to the system. The lack of detailed information about the specific packet structures that trigger the vulnerability limits the ability to implement precise defensive measures, forcing organizations to rely on broader mitigation strategies.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to protect against this vulnerability, beginning with immediate patching of affected InterBase 2009 installations to the latest available versions that contain fixes for these buffer overflow conditions. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict unnecessary database access, particularly limiting direct network exposure of database servers to untrusted networks. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring that database services run with minimal required permissions and that only authorized network traffic can reach database ports. Additionally, network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to detect unusual packet patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, though the lack of specific vector information makes this challenging. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1210 (Exploitation of Remote Services) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter), representing the attack paths that adversaries would likely follow to achieve their objectives through remote code execution. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining instances of the vulnerable software, while incident response procedures should be updated to include detection and response protocols specifically targeting this type of buffer overflow exploitation.