CVE-2010-2435 in Weborf HTTP Server
Summary
by MITRE
Weborf HTTP Server 0.12.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via Unicode characters in a Connection HTTP header, and possibly other headers.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2435 affects Weborf HTTP Server version 0.12.1 and earlier, presenting a significant denial of service risk that can be exploited by remote attackers. This flaw specifically targets the server's handling of Unicode characters within HTTP headers, particularly the Connection header, though the vulnerability may extend to other header fields. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the server's parsing logic, which fails to properly handle malformed Unicode sequences that could trigger unexpected behavior in the application's memory management or processing routines.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic buffer over-read or parsing error condition where the server's HTTP header parser encounters Unicode characters that are not properly normalized or validated before processing. When the server attempts to parse these malformed headers, it may access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries or perform operations on invalid data structures, leading to application crashes and subsequent denial of service conditions. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of length of input buffers, and CWE-704, which covers incorrect type conversion or cast operations that can lead to memory corruption. The exploitation mechanism typically involves sending a specially crafted HTTP request containing Unicode sequences that cause the server's parsing routine to fail catastrophically.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors when combined with other techniques. Remote attackers can leverage this flaw to repeatedly crash the Weborf server, making it unavailable to legitimate users and effectively rendering the web service inaccessible. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that it requires no authentication or privileged access to exploit, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where continuous availability is critical. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability fits within ATT&CK tactic TA0048 (Impact) under T1499.004 (Endpoint Denial of Service) and could potentially be used as a precursor to more advanced attacks by establishing a baseline of system instability that might mask other malicious activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-2435 should focus on immediate patching of the Weborf server to version 0.12.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for Unicode handling in HTTP headers. Organizations should implement network-level protections such as intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed HTTP requests containing suspicious Unicode sequences. Additionally, configuring the server to enforce strict header validation and implementing rate limiting mechanisms can help reduce the effectiveness of denial of service attacks. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of input sanitization practices and proper error handling in web server implementations, suggesting that organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their web infrastructure to identify similar parsing vulnerabilities that could lead to similar outcomes. Network administrators should also consider implementing automated monitoring for service availability and crash patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts, as well as maintaining detailed logs of HTTP header parsing activities for forensic analysis purposes.