CVE-2010-4098 in monotone
Summary
by MITRE
monotone before 0.48.1, when configured to allow remote commands, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via an empty argument to the mtn command.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/28/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4098 affects the monotone version control system prior to 0.48.1 when configured to permit remote command execution. This represents a classic denial of service flaw that exploits a specific input validation weakness in the command processing mechanism. The vulnerability manifests when the mtn command receives an empty argument, causing the system to crash and become unavailable to legitimate users. This issue demonstrates a fundamental lack of proper argument validation within the remote execution framework of the monotone system.
The technical flaw resides in the insufficient input sanitization process within the monotone command handler. When remote commands are enabled, the system fails to properly validate command arguments before processing them, creating an execution path where empty arguments can trigger a crash condition. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the command parsing functionality that handles remote execution requests. The flaw represents a failure in defensive programming practices and input validation, allowing malformed or empty inputs to propagate through the system without proper error handling mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to disrupt service availability by simply sending a specially crafted command with an empty argument to the monotone server. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption as it can potentially be used as a preliminary step in more complex attack chains or as a means to exhaust system resources through repeated exploitation attempts. The vulnerability affects systems where monotone is configured for remote access, making it particularly concerning for development environments and collaborative software repositories that rely on this version control system. The crash condition effectively renders the service unusable until manual intervention or system restart occurs, creating significant operational disruption for teams depending on continuous access to their version control infrastructure.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a clear violation of secure coding principles that should prevent null or empty inputs from causing system instability. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including updating to monotone version 0.48.1 or later, which contains the necessary patches to properly validate command arguments and prevent empty argument processing. Additionally, network-level restrictions should be enforced to limit remote command execution capabilities to trusted sources only, reducing the attack surface and limiting potential exploitation. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect unusual command patterns that might indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability. The remediation approach should include comprehensive testing of the patched version in staging environments to ensure that the fix does not introduce any regressions in functionality while effectively addressing the denial of service condition.