CVE-2010-2702 in Engine
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the UGameEngine::UpdateConnectingMessage function in the Unreal engine 1, 2, and 2.5, as used in multiple games including Unreal Tournament 2004, Unreal tournament 2003, Postal 2, Raven Shield, and SWAT4, when downloads are enabled, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long LEVEL field in a WELCOME response to a download request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/24/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2702 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Unreal Engine 1, 2, and 2.5 implementations that affected numerous popular gaming titles including Unreal Tournament 2004, 2003, Postal 2, Raven Shield, and SWAT4. This vulnerability specifically resides in the UGameEngine::UpdateConnectingMessage function, which processes network communication during the game connection process. The flaw manifests when the engine receives a WELCOME response containing an excessively long LEVEL field during download requests, creating a condition where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This buffer overflow vulnerability operates under the common weakness enumeration CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows memory corruption through excessive data input.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple game disruption to enable full remote code execution capabilities for malicious actors. When a remote attacker crafts a specially formatted WELCOME response with an oversized LEVEL field, the vulnerable Unreal Engine implementations will attempt to copy this data into a fixed-size buffer without proper validation. This memory corruption can overwrite critical program execution structures including return addresses, function pointers, and other control data within the program's memory space. The attack vector leverages the download functionality that many Unreal Engine games utilize during connection establishment, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered during normal gameplay connection sequences without requiring special privileges or user interaction beyond connecting to a malicious server.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique of code injection and privilege escalation. The buffer overflow creates conditions where attackers can manipulate program execution flow to redirect code execution to malicious payloads. The affected game titles represent significant targets within the gaming industry, with Unreal Tournament 2004 and 2003 being particularly popular multiplayer titles that would attract substantial player bases. The widespread adoption of Unreal Engine 1, 2, and 2.5 across multiple titles means this vulnerability affected a large user population and created opportunities for widespread exploitation. The vulnerability's presence in multiple game versions indicates that the underlying buffer management flaw was persistent across different engine iterations, suggesting a fundamental design issue rather than a one-time coding error.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-2702 should include immediate patching of affected Unreal Engine versions, implementing network filtering to block malicious WELCOME responses, and disabling download functionality when connecting to untrusted servers. Organizations and game developers should also consider network intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed WELCOME packets containing oversized LEVEL fields. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper bounds checking in network protocol implementations and demonstrates how seemingly benign data fields can become attack vectors when insufficient validation is applied. Security practices should emphasize input sanitization and memory safety mechanisms, particularly for applications handling network communication with external parties. The vulnerability also underscores the need for regular security assessments of legacy game engines and the importance of maintaining updated security patches for widely used software frameworks.