CVE-2014-2994 in Web Vulnerability Scanner
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in Acunetix Web Vulnerability Scanner (WVS) 8 build 20120704 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via an HTML file containing an IMG element with a long URL (src attribute).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2994 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the Acunetix Web Vulnerability Scanner version 8 build 20120704. This security defect manifests when the scanner processes HTML content containing an IMG element with an excessively long src attribute URL. The flaw exists in the application's handling of HTML input during web vulnerability assessment operations, creating a potential pathway for remote code execution attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the scanner's HTML parsing component. When the WVS encounters an IMG tag with a URL exceeding predetermined buffer limits, the application fails to properly bounds-check the input data before copying it to a fixed-size stack buffer. This classic buffer overflow condition occurs because the scanner does not implement proper sanitization mechanisms to prevent oversized URL data from overwriting adjacent memory locations on the stack. The flaw operates at the application layer and can be exploited through crafted HTML content that triggers the vulnerable parsing routine during routine web scanning operations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations relying on Acunetix WVS for security assessments. Remote attackers capable of injecting malicious HTML content into the scanning environment can potentially execute arbitrary code on the scanner system with the privileges of the scanning process. The attack vector requires minimal prerequisites since it only necessitates the ability to influence HTML content that will be processed by the vulnerable scanner. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where scanners process untrusted web content or when attackers can manipulate scan targets through phishing or other social engineering techniques. The impact extends beyond simple code execution to potentially allow privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and further network compromise.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the latest version of Acunetix WVS where the vulnerability has been patched, applying vendor-provided security updates, and implementing network segmentation to limit exposure of vulnerable scanner instances. Additional defensive measures include configuring web proxies to sanitize HTML content before it reaches the scanner, implementing strict input validation policies, and monitoring for anomalous scanning behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow and represents a technique consistent with ATT&CK tactic T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent unauthorized execution of potentially malicious code on scanner systems.