CVE-2012-6083 in Freeciv
Summary
by MITRE
Freeciv before 2.3.3 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a crafted packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/13/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-6083 affects Freeciv versions prior to 2.3.3, representing a significant denial of service flaw that enables remote attackers to disrupt system operations through carefully constructed network packets. This issue resides within the network protocol handling mechanisms of the Freeciv client-server communication framework, where inadequate input validation and packet processing routines fail to properly handle malformed data structures. The vulnerability specifically targets the packet processing subsystem that manages network communications between Freeciv clients and servers, creating a scenario where maliciously crafted packets can trigger unexpected behavior in the application's network handling components.
The technical flaw manifests when the Freeciv application receives network packets containing malformed or unexpected data structures that are not properly validated before processing. This weakness allows attackers to construct packets that, when processed by the vulnerable version, can cause the application to crash or become unresponsive. The root cause lies in insufficient boundary checking and input sanitization within the packet parsing logic, which fails to account for various malformed packet formats that could be transmitted over the network. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the network stack, specifically targeting the client-server communication protocol implementation that governs how game state information is transmitted between connected instances.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the availability of Freeciv gaming sessions and network services. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to cause denial of service conditions that affect active gameplay, making it particularly dangerous in multiplayer gaming environments where continuous network connectivity is essential. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability can result in complete application crashes, requiring manual restart of the Freeciv client or server processes, thereby disrupting ongoing games and potentially affecting multiple users simultaneously. The vulnerability affects both client and server components of the Freeciv application, creating a comprehensive impact across the entire networked gaming infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-6083 primarily focus on upgrading to Freeciv version 2.3.3 or later, which includes patched packet validation routines and improved input sanitization mechanisms. System administrators should implement network monitoring to detect unusual packet patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while also ensuring that all Freeciv installations are kept current with security patches. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input boundaries, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. Additional protective measures include implementing firewall rules to restrict packet transmission from untrusted sources and deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed network traffic patterns characteristic of this vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.