CVE-2015-3237 in Hyperion Essbase
Summary
by MITRE
The smb_request_state function in cURL and libcurl 7.40.0 through 7.42.1 allows remote SMB servers to obtain sensitive information from memory or cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read and crash) via crafted length and offset values.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-3237 affects cURL and libcurl versions between 7.40.0 and 7.42.1, specifically within the smb_request_state function that handles server message block protocol operations. This flaw represents a critical security issue in network communication libraries that are extensively deployed across various operating systems and applications. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation when processing SMB server responses, particularly concerning length and offset parameters that control memory access operations. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious SMB server responses that contain malformed length and offset values, leading to unpredictable behavior in the affected software components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the smb_request_state function which processes SMB protocol communications. When cURL or libcurl receives SMB responses with crafted parameters, the software fails to validate the integrity of length and offset values before using them to access memory locations. This oversight creates opportunities for out-of-bounds memory reads that can expose sensitive data from the application's memory space or trigger memory corruption that results in program crashes. The vulnerability manifests as a classic buffer over-read condition where the software attempts to access memory beyond allocated boundaries, potentially revealing confidential information such as cryptographic keys, user credentials, or application state data.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on cURL or libcurl for network communications, particularly in environments where SMB protocol interactions are common. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure to include potential denial of service conditions that can disrupt legitimate network operations. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to either extract sensitive information from memory or cause system instability through controlled crashes, making it particularly dangerous in server environments or applications handling sensitive data. The vulnerability affects systems where cURL or libcurl is used as a library component, including web browsers, email clients, network monitoring tools, and various enterprise applications that depend on secure file transfer capabilities.
The security implications of CVE-2015-3237 align with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage in exploitation contexts. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to cURL or libcurl versions 7.43.0 or later where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and bounds checking mechanisms. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring of SMB traffic can help detect potential exploitation attempts, while disabling unnecessary SMB protocol support in applications can reduce the attack surface. System administrators should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed SMB responses indicative of exploitation attempts, and regularly audit application dependencies to ensure all components are running patched versions of vulnerable libraries.