CVE-2017-15923 in Konversation
Summary
by MITRE
Konversation 1.4.x, 1.5.x, 1.6.x, and 1.7.x before 1.7.3 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via vectors related to parsing of IRC color formatting codes.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2023
CVE-2017-15923 represents a denial of service vulnerability affecting Konversation IRC clients across multiple versions including 1.4.x through 1.7.x prior to 1.7.3. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of IRC color formatting codes during message parsing operations. The flaw manifests when the client encounters malformed or specially crafted color codes in IRC messages, leading to application crashes and subsequent denial of service conditions for legitimate users. The vulnerability operates at the protocol parsing layer where Konversation fails to adequately validate and sanitize incoming color formatting sequences before processing them. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array indices, and more specifically relates to CWE-20, concerning improper input validation. The attack vector involves remote adversaries sending maliciously formatted IRC messages containing malformed color codes that trigger buffer overflows or invalid memory access patterns within the Konversation client. When the client attempts to parse these malformed codes, it encounters unexpected behavior that causes the application to terminate unexpectedly. The operational impact extends beyond simple client crashes as it can disrupt communication channels within IRC networks where Konversation users participate, potentially affecting collaborative environments and real-time communication workflows. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and represents a classic example of how input validation failures can lead to system instability. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the IRC client by exploiting weaknesses in the message parsing engine, specifically in how it handles color code sequences that follow the IRC protocol specification but contain invalid or unexpected values. Attackers can exploit this by crafting IRC messages containing malformed color codes that cause the client to enter an undefined state during parsing operations, ultimately leading to application termination. The severity of this vulnerability is amplified by the fact that IRC clients often run continuously in background processes, making them persistent targets for attackers seeking to disrupt communication services. Network administrators and users of Konversation should prioritize updating to version 1.7.3 or later, which includes patches addressing the improper parsing of color formatting codes. Additional mitigations include implementing network-level filtering of malformed IRC messages, deploying intrusion detection systems that monitor for suspicious color code patterns, and educating users about the risks of accepting messages from untrusted sources. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of robust input validation in client-side applications and highlights how seemingly benign protocol features can become attack vectors when not properly sanitized and validated.