CVE-2019-20799 in Cherokee
Summary
by MITRE
In Cherokee through 1.2.104, multiple memory corruption errors may be used by a remote attacker to destabilize the work of a server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-20799 affects the Cherokee web server software version 1.2.104 and earlier, representing a critical memory corruption issue that exposes the system to remote exploitation. This vulnerability resides within the server's handling of certain input data structures, where improper memory management leads to unpredictable behavior and potential system compromise. The Cherokee web server, widely used for hosting web applications and serving dynamic content, becomes susceptible to attacks that leverage these memory corruption flaws to disrupt normal operations.
The technical flaw manifests through multiple memory corruption errors that occur when the server processes specific network requests or data inputs. These issues typically arise from inadequate bounds checking, improper memory allocation, or buffer overflow conditions that allow attackers to manipulate memory layout and execution flow. The vulnerability can be triggered remotely through network-based attacks, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible web servers. Attackers can craft malicious requests that exploit these memory handling issues to cause crashes, arbitrary code execution, or denial of service conditions that severely impact server availability and stability.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-20799 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to server resources or execute malicious code within the server environment. The memory corruption errors create opportunities for privilege escalation attacks, where attackers might leverage the instability to elevate their access rights or compromise underlying system components. Organizations running Cherokee web servers are particularly vulnerable since these servers often handle sensitive data and critical web applications, making the potential attack surface significant. The remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system, allowing them to target vulnerable installations from anywhere on the internet.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-20799 should prioritize immediate software updates to versions that address the identified memory corruption issues, as provided by the Cherokee development team. System administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable servers to untrusted networks. Regular security assessments and penetration testing can help identify additional vulnerabilities within the web server configuration and associated infrastructure. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and may also relate to CWE-122 for heap-based buffer overflows, both of which are fundamental memory corruption patterns. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving remote code execution and privilege escalation, with potential TTPs including command and control communications and lateral movement within compromised networks. Organizations should also deploy intrusion detection systems and monitor for suspicious network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts against this vulnerability.