CVE-2011-5173 in FlatOut
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Bugbear Entertainment FlatOut 2005 allows user-assisted remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a long string in the title field in a bed file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-5173 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Bugbear Entertainment FlatOut 2005 gaming software, specifically affecting the handling of bed file format data. This issue manifests when the game processes a malformed bed file containing an excessively long string within the title field, creating a condition where memory allocation boundaries are exceeded. The buffer overflow occurs during the parsing of game configuration files, particularly impacting the game's initialization process when loading saved game data or level configurations stored in bed format.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the game engine's file parsing routines. When the title field in a bed file exceeds the predetermined buffer size allocated for storing game metadata, the excess data overflows into adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting critical program state information. This flaw operates under CWE-121, which classifies buffer overflow conditions where insufficient space is allocated for data storage, and specifically aligns with CWE-125, which addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to memory corruption. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with stack-based buffer overflow exploitation patterns, where the game's memory layout allows attackers to manipulate program execution flow through carefully crafted input data.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to both individual users and gaming environments, as it can be exploited by remote attackers through user-assisted means. The attack scenario typically involves an attacker distributing a malicious bed file containing an oversized title string, which when loaded by an unsuspecting user would trigger the buffer overflow condition. The immediate impact manifests as application crash or denial of service, effectively preventing normal gameplay operations. However, the vulnerability's potential for arbitrary code execution cannot be discounted, particularly given that the overflow may allow attackers to overwrite return addresses or function pointers within the program's execution stack, creating opportunities for privilege escalation or code injection attacks. This vulnerability directly relates to ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation of software vulnerabilities through buffer overflow conditions to gain unauthorized access or execute malicious code.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-5173 primarily focus on input validation and software updates. Game developers and system administrators should implement strict input length validation for all file format fields, particularly those handling user-generated content or external data sources. The most effective remediation involves applying official patches or updates from Bugbear Entertainment that address the buffer overflow condition through proper memory allocation and bounds checking mechanisms. Additionally, implementing file integrity checks and sandboxing mechanisms can help prevent exploitation of malformed bed files, while network segmentation and access controls can limit the distribution of potentially malicious game files. Users should avoid loading bed files from untrusted sources and maintain current software versions to protect against known vulnerabilities. Organizations should consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools that can detect and flag potentially malicious bed files before they are processed by the game engine, thereby reducing the attack surface and preventing successful exploitation attempts.