CVE-2012-2091 in SimGear
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in FlightGear 2.6 and earlier and SimGear 2.6 and earlier allow user-assisted remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a (1) long string in a rotor tag of an aircraft xml model to the Rotor::getValueforFGSet function in src/FDM/YASim/Rotor.cpp or (2) a crafted UDP packet to the SGSocketUDP::read function in simgear/simgear/simgear/io/sg_socket_udp.cxx.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/04/2021
The vulnerability CVE-2012-2091 represents a critical security flaw affecting FlightGear 2.6 and earlier versions along with SimGear 2.6 and earlier implementations. This vulnerability manifests through multiple buffer overflow conditions that can be exploited by remote attackers with minimal user interaction. The flaw exists within the flight simulation software ecosystem where users can load aircraft models and receive network data, creating potential attack vectors through malformed input data that bypasses normal validation mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs in two distinct locations within the software architecture. The first overflow occurs in the Rotor::getValueforFGSet function within src/FDM/YASim/Rotor.cpp, where a maliciously crafted long string in a rotor tag of an aircraft xml model can trigger buffer overflow conditions. This particular flaw demonstrates a classic buffer overrun vulnerability where insufficient bounds checking allows memory corruption when processing extended input data. The second vulnerability exists in the SGSocketUDP::read function located in simgear/simgear/simgear/io/sg_socket_udp.cxx, which processes crafted UDP packets that can cause similar buffer overflow conditions during network data handling. Both of these functions lack proper input validation and memory boundary checks, making them susceptible to exploitation through carefully constructed malicious payloads.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable arbitrary code execution on affected systems. When exploited, these buffer overflows can cause application crashes, system instability, and in some cases provide attackers with the ability to execute malicious code with the privileges of the running application. The remote nature of the attack means that an attacker need not be physically present or have direct access to the target system, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in networked environments where flight simulators might be running on servers or be accessible to external users. The user-assisted nature of the attack suggests that exploitation typically requires some form of social engineering or delivery mechanism to convince users to load malicious aircraft models or connect to compromised networks.
This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow scenarios. The attack patterns align with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059 category for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary code. The attack surface is particularly concerning for flight simulation environments where users might be downloading aircraft models from untrusted sources or connecting to networked simulation servers. Organizations using FlightGear or SimGear software in production environments should consider implementing network segmentation, input validation controls, and regular software updates to address this vulnerability. The remediation approach requires immediate patching of affected versions to ensure proper bounds checking and memory management in both the aircraft model parsing and UDP network handling components.