CVE-2016-7045 in irssi
Summary
by MITRE
The format_send_to_gui function in the format parsing code in Irssi before 0.8.20 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (heap corruption and crash) via vectors involving the length of a string.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7045 resides within the Irssi IRC client software, specifically within the format_send_to_gui function located in the format parsing code module. This flaw affects versions prior to 0.8.20 and represents a critical heap corruption vulnerability that can be exploited by remote attackers to induce a denial of service condition. The vulnerability manifests when the application processes formatted strings, particularly when handling the length parameter of string data during GUI output generation. This issue falls under the category of improper input validation and memory management flaws that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of string length parameters during the format parsing process, where the format_send_to_gui function fails to properly validate or sanitize input data before processing. When an attacker crafts malicious input containing specially formatted strings with manipulated length values, the function's handling of these inputs results in heap corruption. This heap corruption occurs because the application attempts to write data beyond allocated memory boundaries or attempts to access invalid memory locations, ultimately leading to application crashes and potential system instability. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in networked environments where users may be exposed to untrusted input from remote IRC servers or clients.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for users of the Irssi IRC client, as remote attackers can exploit it to cause persistent service disruption without requiring any authentication or privileged access. The denial of service condition affects the availability of the IRC client application, preventing legitimate users from participating in chat sessions or accessing network resources. The heap corruption can also potentially lead to more severe consequences including privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution, especially when the application is running with elevated privileges or in environments where it processes untrusted data. This vulnerability impacts both individual users and organizations that rely on IRC for communication, particularly in scenarios where automated systems or bots interact with IRC networks.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-7045 primarily involve upgrading to Irssi version 0.8.20 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the heap corruption vulnerability. System administrators should also implement network segmentation and input validation measures to limit exposure, particularly in environments where untrusted IRC traffic flows through the system. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can monitor for suspicious IRC traffic patterns and maintain regular security updates to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-122 Heap-based Buffer Overflow and relates to ATT&CK technique T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, emphasizing the need for robust input sanitization and memory safety practices in client-side applications. The patch implementation should include proper bounds checking and memory allocation validation to prevent similar heap corruption scenarios in future releases.