CVE-2018-7583 in DualDesk 20
Summary
by MITRE
Proxy.exe in DualDesk 20 allows Remote Denial Of Service (daemon crash) via a long string to TCP port 5500.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7583 affects Proxy.exe component within DualDesk 20 software, presenting a remote denial of service condition that can cause the daemon process to crash. This issue specifically manifests when a malformed long string is transmitted to TCP port 5500, which serves as the primary communication port for the DualDesk remote desktop solution. The vulnerability represents a classic buffer overflow condition where the application fails to properly validate input length before processing incoming data streams, creating an exploitable entry point for malicious actors to disrupt service availability.
DualDesk 20 is a remote desktop and file transfer solution that enables users to access and control remote computers over network connections. The Proxy.exe service acts as a critical daemon component responsible for managing network communications and establishing secure connections between remote desktop clients and servers. When a specially crafted long string is sent to port 5500, the application's input handling mechanism becomes overwhelmed, leading to memory corruption and subsequent process termination. This behavior aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations and cause application instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it can be exploited by remote attackers without authentication requirements, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments. The daemon crash effectively renders the DualDesk service unavailable, preventing legitimate users from establishing remote connections while potentially creating a window for further exploitation attempts. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform persistent denial of service attacks against targeted systems, impacting business continuity and potentially exposing other vulnerabilities within the network infrastructure. The attack vector requires only network connectivity to the target system's TCP port 5500, making it easily exploitable across various network topologies.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically mapping it to the T1499 technique for network denial of service attacks. The vulnerability's remote execution capability and lack of authentication requirements place it within the high-risk category for organizations relying on DualDesk for remote access operations. Organizations should implement immediate network segmentation to restrict access to port 5500, deploy network intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious traffic patterns, and ensure all affected systems receive prompt patch updates from the vendor. Additionally, monitoring for repeated connection attempts to port 5500 and implementing rate limiting mechanisms can help detect and mitigate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and proper bounds checking in network services, particularly those handling untrusted data from remote sources, as highlighted in industry best practices for secure software development lifecycle implementation.