CVE-2024-52060 in Connext Professional
Summary
by MITRE • 12/13/2024
Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow') vulnerability in RTI Connext Professional (Routing Service, Recording Service, Queuing Service, Observability Collector Service, Cloud Discovery Service) allows Buffer Overflow via Environment Variables.This issue affects Connext Professional: from 7.0.0 before 7.3.0.5, from 6.1.0 before 6.1.2.21, from 6.0.0 before 6.0.*, from 5.3.0 before 5.3.1.45.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/02/2025
This classic buffer overflow vulnerability exists in RTI Connext Professional's routing service, recording service, queuing service, observability collector service, and cloud discovery service components. The flaw manifests when the software processes environment variables without properly validating the input size against the allocated buffer space, creating a condition where maliciously crafted environment variables can overwrite adjacent memory locations. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions from 7.0.0 before 7.3.0.5, 6.1.0 before 6.1.2.21, 6.0.0 before 6.0.*, and 5.3.0 before 5.3.1.45, representing a significant attack surface across multiple major releases of the RTI Connext middleware platform. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121 which describes classic buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write beyond allocated memory boundaries, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it provides attackers with a pathway to execute arbitrary code on systems running affected RTI Connext services. When environment variables containing oversized payloads are processed by the vulnerable services, the buffer overflow can overwrite return addresses, function pointers, or other critical control data structures within the application's memory space. This creates opportunities for attackers to redirect program execution flow, inject malicious code, or cause denial of service conditions that could disrupt critical infrastructure operations. The vulnerability affects RTI Connext Professional's core services that are typically deployed in enterprise environments where reliability and security are paramount, making this a particularly concerning weakness. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python) and T1566.001 (Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment) as attackers could leverage environment variable manipulation to establish persistence or execute malicious payloads.
The attack vector specifically involves manipulation of environment variables that are processed by the affected services during startup or runtime operations. Attackers can craft environment variable values that exceed the intended buffer capacity, causing the classic buffer overflow behavior. This exploitation technique aligns with ATT&CK tactic TA0002 (Execution) and technique T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) as successful exploitation could lead to privilege escalation within the system where RTI Connext services are running. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe in environments where these services operate with elevated privileges, as the buffer overflow could potentially be leveraged to gain full system control. Organizations using RTI Connext Professional in industrial control systems, automotive applications, or other safety-critical environments face heightened risk due to the potential for cascading failures. The vulnerability's presence in multiple service components means that exploitation could occur across various system functions, increasing the overall attack surface and potential impact. Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions, implementation of environment variable validation controls, and monitoring for unusual environment variable usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.