CVE-2018-2384 in Internet Graphics Server
Summary
by MITRE
Under certain conditions a malicious user provoking a Null Pointer dereference can prevent legitimate users from accessing the SAP Internet Graphics Server, 7.20, 7.20EXT, 7.45, 7.49, 7.53, and its services.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2384 represents a critical denial of service weakness within SAP Internet Graphics Server implementations across multiple versions including 7.20, 7.20EXT, 7.45, 7.49, and 7.53. This flaw manifests through a null pointer dereference condition that occurs when malicious actors intentionally provoke specific error states within the graphics server processing pipeline. The vulnerability operates at the application level and specifically targets the server's handling of malformed or unexpected input data streams that are processed through the Internet Graphics Server component. The underlying technical mechanism involves the server attempting to access memory locations that have not been properly initialized or allocated, creating a scenario where the system crashes or becomes unresponsive rather than gracefully handling the error condition.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it creates a persistent availability issue that can be exploited by unauthorized users to systematically deny access to legitimate system users. When a malicious actor successfully triggers the null pointer dereference, the affected SAP Internet Graphics Server instance enters a state where it cannot process subsequent requests effectively, leading to complete service unavailability. This condition affects not only individual user access but can potentially cascade through integrated systems that rely on the graphics server for rendering capabilities, particularly in enterprise environments where the Internet Graphics Server serves as a foundational component for various business applications. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill and can be executed through crafted input parameters that cause the server to attempt operations on uninitialized memory references, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where continuous availability is paramount.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in the context of the CWE-476 weakness category which specifically addresses null pointer dereference conditions that can lead to application crashes and denial of service scenarios. The attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network disruption through service availability attacks, and T1566.001 which encompasses social engineering techniques that could be used to deliver the malicious input that triggers the vulnerability. Organizations must implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant SAP security notes and patches, implementing input validation controls to prevent malformed requests from reaching the graphics server, and establishing monitoring protocols to detect unusual request patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of the Internet Graphics Server to untrusted networks while also implementing proper error handling mechanisms that prevent the application from crashing when encountering unexpected input data. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of robust error handling practices in enterprise applications and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing that includes stress testing and boundary condition validation to identify similar weaknesses before they can be exploited in real-world scenarios.