CVE-2013-0221 in Coreutils
Summary
by MITRE
The SUSE coreutils-i18n.patch for GNU coreutils allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (segmentation fault and crash) via a long string to the sort command, when using the (1) -d or (2) -M switch, which triggers a stack-based buffer overflow in the alloca function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0221 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the GNU coreutils sort command implementation. This issue specifically manifests when processing long strings with the -d (dictionary order) or -M (month sorting) command-line switches, creating a scenario where attackers can manipulate the program's execution flow through carefully crafted input sequences. The vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the alloca function, which dynamically allocates memory on the stack without adequate validation of input length parameters.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a context-dependent attack vector where an attacker supplies an excessively long string to the sort command. When the -d or -M switches are employed, the underlying implementation fails to properly validate the length of input strings before processing them through the alloca memory allocation function. This oversight results in a stack buffer overflow condition that ultimately leads to segmentation faults and program crashes. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, where insufficient bounds checking allows memory corruption in stack-allocated buffers.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to systems relying on GNU coreutils for data processing tasks. The denial of service condition can be exploited to disrupt legitimate system operations, particularly in environments where automated sorting processes or batch operations are common. The vulnerability affects systems running SUSE distributions that have applied the coreutils-i18n.patch, making it relevant to enterprise environments that utilize these specific software versions. The attack requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely through any interface that invokes the vulnerable sort command, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user or networked environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-0221 should prioritize immediate patch application from SUSE security advisories to address the root cause within the coreutils implementation. System administrators should also implement input validation controls at the application level to limit string length parameters passed to sort commands, particularly when processing untrusted data sources. Network segmentation and privilege separation can help limit the impact of successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, monitoring for unusual sort command usage patterns and implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify potential exploitation attempts based on malformed input sequences provides defensive layers against this specific vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a Denial of Service attack technique under the T1499 sub-technique, emphasizing the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in preventing such exploitation vectors.