CVE-2019-7659 in gSOAP
Summary
by MITRE
Genivia gSOAP 2.7.x and 2.8.x before 2.8.75 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (application abort) or possibly have unspecified other impact if a server application is built with the -DWITH_COOKIES flag. This affects the C/C++ libgsoapck/libgsoapck++ and libgsoapssl/libgsoapssl++ libraries, as these are built with that flag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-7659 represents a critical security flaw in the Genivia gSOAP library ecosystem affecting versions 2.7.x and 2.8.x prior to 2.8.75. This issue specifically targets server applications that are compiled with the -DWITH_COOKIES flag, creating a pathway for attackers to exploit the software through carefully crafted input sequences. The affected libraries include both the standard libgsoapck/libgsoapck++ and the SSL-enabled variants libgsoapssl/libgsoapssl++, which are widely utilized in enterprise environments for web services implementation and communication protocols. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the cookie handling functionality, creating potential attack vectors that can be leveraged by malicious actors to compromise system availability and potentially execute further malicious activities.
The technical flaw manifests through improper handling of cookie data structures within the gSOAP library implementation, where the -DWITH_COOKIES compilation flag enables cookie processing functionality that lacks sufficient bounds checking and memory management controls. When a server application processes malformed or specially crafted cookie data, the library fails to properly validate input parameters, leading to memory corruption scenarios that can result in application crashes or aborts. This vulnerability operates at the intersection of buffer overflows and memory safety issues, with the potential for more severe consequences beyond simple denial of service. The flaw specifically affects how the library processes cookie headers in HTTP requests, where insufficient validation allows attackers to manipulate memory structures through crafted cookie values that exceed allocated buffer boundaries or trigger invalid memory access patterns.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on gSOAP-based web services, as it can be exploited to cause service disruption through application crashes or restarts. The potential for unspecified other impacts suggests that attackers might be able to leverage this weakness for more sophisticated attacks beyond simple denial of service, potentially including privilege escalation or information disclosure. The vulnerability affects both HTTP and HTTPS implementations through the SSL-enabled libraries, meaning organizations with secure web services are equally at risk. Network administrators and security teams must consider the widespread adoption of gSOAP in enterprise applications, particularly in legacy systems and embedded devices where patching may be challenging. The impact extends to systems that process web service requests from untrusted sources, making it particularly dangerous in internet-facing applications and API gateways.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-7659 should prioritize immediate patching of affected gSOAP library versions to 2.8.75 or later, which includes fixed cookie handling mechanisms and improved input validation routines. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level mitigations such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious cookie patterns, though these measures may not fully address the underlying vulnerability. The implementation of proper input validation and sanitization within applications that utilize gSOAP libraries provides an additional layer of protection, particularly for applications that cannot immediately update to patched versions. Security monitoring should include detection of abnormal application behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, with particular attention to repeated application crashes or restarts. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their entire application portfolio to identify all systems utilizing affected gSOAP versions, as this vulnerability may be present in various integrated systems beyond the immediately apparent web service implementations. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing proper bounds checking and memory management within the cookie processing functions, aligning with industry best practices for secure coding and memory safety standards that correspond to CWE-121 and CWE-125 categories in the Common Weakness Enumeration framework.