CVE-2014-1878 in Nagios
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the cmd_submitf function in cgi/cmd.c in Nagios Core, possibly 4.0.3rc1 and earlier, and Icinga before 1.8.6, 1.9 before 1.9.5, and 1.10 before 1.10.3 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (segmentation fault) via a long message to cmd.cgi.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-1878 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw affecting monitoring systems that utilize Nagios Core and Icinga platforms. This vulnerability resides within the cmd_submitf function located in the cgi/cmd.c file of these monitoring solutions, creating a pathway for remote attackers to exploit the system through carefully crafted input messages. The flaw specifically manifests when processing commands sent through cmd.cgi, where insufficient input validation allows malicious actors to overflow the designated stack buffer, leading to system instability and potential service disruption.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking permits data to overwrite adjacent memory locations on the program stack. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Nagios Core including 4.0.3rc1 and earlier releases, while also impacting Icinga versions prior to 1.8.6, 1.9.5, and 1.10.3. The exploitation mechanism involves sending a specially crafted long message to the cmd.cgi interface, which triggers the buffer overflow condition when the system attempts to process the command. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network denial of service attacks that target system resources to prevent legitimate use of services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors. When a segmentation fault occurs due to the buffer overflow, the monitoring system experiences a crash or restart, disrupting critical infrastructure monitoring capabilities that organizations depend upon for operational continuity. This creates a window of vulnerability where system administrators lose visibility into their monitored environments, potentially masking other security incidents or system failures. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can trigger the condition from external network positions without requiring local system access, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible monitoring systems.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches available for both Nagios Core and Icinga platforms to address this vulnerability. System administrators should also consider implementing network-level controls such as input validation at the firewall or proxy level to filter out unusually long command inputs before they reach the vulnerable monitoring system. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to limit the length of command inputs and implement proper error handling mechanisms to prevent crash conditions from occurring. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that patched versions maintain full functionality while eliminating the buffer overflow condition. Security teams should also review their incident response procedures to account for potential denial of service scenarios that could compromise monitoring capabilities and affect overall security posture.