CVE-2012-10053 in Simple Web Server
Summary
by MITRE • 08/08/2025
Simple Web Server 2.2 rc2 contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in its handling of the Connection HTTP header. When a remote attacker sends an overly long string in this header, the server uses vsprintf() without proper bounds checking, leading to a buffer overflow on the stack. This flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the web server process. The vulnerability is triggered before authentication.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-10053 affects Simple Web Server version 2.2 rc2, a lightweight web server implementation that serves as a basic HTTP server for various network applications. This particular flaw represents a critical security weakness that exists within the server's HTTP header processing mechanism, specifically targeting the Connection header field. The vulnerability resides in the server's inability to properly validate input lengths before processing them, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers without requiring any authentication credentials. The affected software demonstrates poor input validation practices that are commonly associated with buffer overflow vulnerabilities in network services.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the server's use of the vsprintf() function without adequate bounds checking mechanisms. When processing HTTP requests containing an excessively long string in the Connection header, the server fails to enforce length limitations on the input data, allowing an attacker to overflow the allocated stack buffer. This stack-based buffer overflow occurs because the vsprintf() function does not perform automatic bounds checking on the destination buffer, unlike its safer counterpart vsnprintf() which includes length parameters to prevent such overflows. The flaw specifically manifests during the parsing of HTTP headers before any authentication mechanisms are invoked, making the attack surface particularly dangerous as it bypasses access control measures entirely.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-10053 is severe and far-reaching, as it provides remote attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the web server process. This means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, modify server contents, or establish persistent access to the underlying network infrastructure. The vulnerability's pre-authentication nature eliminates the need for legitimate credentials, making it particularly attractive to attackers seeking to exploit systems without detection. Additionally, since the web server process typically runs with elevated privileges, the executed code could potentially escalate to system-level access depending on the server configuration and operating system permissions.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which categorizes buffer overflows occurring in stack memory regions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The attack pattern follows typical exploitation techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution and T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation tactics. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including updating to a patched version of Simple Web Server, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the vulnerable service, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious HTTP header patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of input validation and secure coding practices, particularly when using functions like vsprintf() that lack built-in bounds checking mechanisms.