CVE-2010-2448 in znc
Summary
by MITRE
znc.cpp in ZNC before 0.092 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (crash) by requesting traffic statistics when there is an active unauthenticated connection, which triggers a NULL pointer dereference, as demonstrated using (1) a traffic link in the web administration pages or (2) the traffic command in the /znc shell.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2448 affects the ZNC IRC bouncer software version 0.092 and earlier, presenting a significant denial of service risk that can be exploited by authenticated remote attackers. This flaw exists within the znc.cpp file and specifically targets the traffic statistics functionality, creating a critical system instability condition that can be triggered through legitimate administrative operations. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic NULL pointer dereference issue that fundamentally undermines the application's stability and availability.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves a specific interaction between the traffic statistics feature and the presence of unauthenticated connections within the system. When an authenticated user attempts to access traffic statistics while an active unauthenticated connection exists, the software fails to properly handle the NULL pointer reference that occurs during the processing of these statistics. This condition arises because the application does not adequately validate the state of connections before attempting to aggregate traffic data, leading to an unhandled exception that results in a complete application crash. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it can be exploited through two distinct attack vectors: the traffic link available in the web administration interface and the traffic command accessible through the /znc shell interface, providing multiple pathways for exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it fundamentally compromises the reliability and availability of the ZNC service. An attacker with valid credentials can systematically crash the application, potentially leading to extended downtime for IRC communications and service interruptions for all users connected through the affected bouncer. This denial of service condition can be particularly damaging in environments where ZNC serves as a critical communication infrastructure component, as it may require manual intervention to restart the service and restore normal operations. The vulnerability affects both web-based administrative access and command-line interfaces, making it difficult to contain and potentially allowing for automated exploitation through scripting tools.
The flaw aligns with CWE-476, which specifically addresses NULL pointer dereference vulnerabilities, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should prevent such conditions through proper input validation and null checking. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network denial of service attacks, and demonstrates how legitimate administrative functions can be weaponized to create system instability. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only authenticated access, which reduces the barrier to entry for potential attackers while still maintaining the severity of the impact. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to ZNC version 0.092 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this NULL pointer dereference condition. Additionally, implementing connection state monitoring and proper error handling within the traffic statistics module would provide defense in depth against similar issues. Regular security assessments of administrative interfaces and command processing functions should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other components of the system.