CVE-2010-0552 in Geo++ GNCASTER
Summary
by MITRE
Geo++ GNCASTER 1.4.0.7 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via multiple requests for a non-existent file using a long URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/30/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-0552 affects Geo++ GNCASTER version 1.4.0.7 and earlier, presenting a critical security risk that can be exploited remotely by attackers to disrupt service availability and potentially execute malicious code. This issue stems from the software's inadequate handling of malformed URI requests, specifically targeting non-existent files with excessively long URI paths. The vulnerability operates through a buffer overflow condition that occurs when the application attempts to process these malformed requests without proper input validation or bounds checking.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's file handling mechanism where it fails to properly validate the length and structure of Uniform Resource Identifiers presented in HTTP requests. When a remote attacker sends multiple requests containing extremely long URIs pointing to non-existent files, the system's memory management routines become overwhelmed, leading to memory corruption that ultimately results in application crash or system instability. This behavior aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which addresses heap-based buffer overflow scenarios that can occur during dynamic memory allocation. The vulnerability represents a classic example of improper input validation that allows attackers to manipulate memory structures and potentially execute arbitrary code through carefully crafted malicious requests.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as the potential for arbitrary code execution makes it particularly dangerous in production environments. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to systems running the vulnerable software, potentially escalating privileges and establishing persistent access to network resources. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers do not require physical access or local network presence to carry out attacks, making it a significant concern for organizations that expose the affected software to external networks. This vulnerability can be particularly devastating when the affected software operates in critical infrastructure environments where continuous availability is essential for operations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the latest version of Geo++ GNCASTER that addresses this vulnerability, implementing network-level restrictions to limit access to the affected service, and deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malicious URI patterns. The mitigation strategy should align with ATT&CK framework techniques such as T1071.004 for application layer protocol traffic filtering and T1499.004 for network denial of service prevention. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their network infrastructure to identify other potentially vulnerable systems and establish monitoring procedures to detect similar patterns of attack attempts. Regular patch management processes should be strengthened to ensure timely deployment of security updates and prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.