CVE-2011-3501 in Cogent DataHub
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in Cogent DataHub 7.1.1.63 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a negative or large Content-Length value.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3501 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within Cogent DataHub version 7.1.1.63 and earlier releases. This issue manifests in the application's handling of HTTP request processing where the software fails to properly validate or sanitize the Content-Length header value. When an attacker submits a malformed HTTP request containing either a negative or excessively large Content-Length value, the system's integer overflow vulnerability is triggered. The flaw occurs because the application attempts to convert the Content-Length header value into an integer variable without adequate bounds checking or overflow protection mechanisms. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-190 category of Integer Overflow or Wraparound, which is a well-documented weakness in software security practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as it can potentially lead to system crashes and complete service unavailability for legitimate users. Attackers exploiting this weakness can craft malicious HTTP requests that cause the DataHub application to process invalid integer values, resulting in memory corruption and subsequent application termination. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in networked environments where the DataHub serves as a critical data processing component, as it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or specialized privileges. This makes it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to disrupt business operations or gain unauthorized access to network resources.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which describes network denial of service attacks. The integer overflow condition creates a predictable crash scenario that can be reliably exploited to cause system instability. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices that are commonly observed in legacy software systems where security considerations were not adequately integrated during the development lifecycle. Organizations using Cogent DataHub versions prior to the patched release face significant risk of operational disruption, as a single malicious request can bring down the entire data processing infrastructure. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of implementing robust input sanitization and boundary checking mechanisms in all network-facing applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-3501 primarily focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by the vendor. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to Cogent DataHub versions that contain fixes for this integer overflow vulnerability, as these releases typically include proper input validation and integer overflow protection measures. Network-level defenses such as intrusion detection systems and web application firewalls can help detect and block malicious Content-Length values, though these measures are not foolproof. Additionally, implementing proper monitoring and alerting mechanisms can help detect when the vulnerability is being exploited, enabling rapid response to potential attacks. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their network infrastructure to identify other potentially affected systems that may be running vulnerable versions of the DataHub software.