Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-119

Discouraged

Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

Abstraction: Class · Status: Stable

The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it reads from or writes to a memory location outside the buffer's intended boundary. This may result in read or write operations on unexpected memory locations that could be linked to other variables, data structures, or internal program data.

17493 vulnerabilities reference this CWE, most recent first.

GHSA-4P4H-XVFF-9P66

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-04-16 00:00 – Updated: 2022-04-27 00:00
VLAI
Details

A vulnerability in the Application Visibility and Control (AVC-FNF) feature of Cisco IOS XE Software for Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient packet verification for traffic inspected by the AVC feature. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted packets from the wired network to a wireless client, resulting in the crafted packets being processed by the wireless controller. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a crash and reload of the affected device, resulting in a DoS condition.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2022-20683"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-119",
      "CWE-124",
      "CWE-787"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2022-04-15T15:15:00Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "A vulnerability in the Application Visibility and Control (AVC-FNF) feature of Cisco IOS XE Software for Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient packet verification for traffic inspected by the AVC feature. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted packets from the wired network to a wireless client, resulting in the crafted packets being processed by the wireless controller. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a crash and reload of the affected device, resulting in a DoS condition.",
  "id": "GHSA-4p4h-xvff-9p66",
  "modified": "2022-04-27T00:00:34Z",
  "published": "2022-04-16T00:00:51Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-20683"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-c9800-fnf-dos-bOL5vLge"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-4P52-XHH2-JJM2

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-17 01:19 – Updated: 2022-05-17 01:19
VLAI
Details

QuickTime in Apple OS X before 10.11.6 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted FlashPix bitmap image, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-4597, CVE-2016-4600, and CVE-2016-4602.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2016-4596"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-119"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2016-07-22T02:59:00Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "QuickTime in Apple OS X before 10.11.6 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted FlashPix bitmap image, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-4597, CVE-2016-4600, and CVE-2016-4602.",
  "id": "GHSA-4p52-xhh2-jjm2",
  "modified": "2022-05-17T01:19:58Z",
  "published": "2022-05-17T01:19:58Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4596"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/HT206903"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2016/Jul/msg00000.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91824"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036348"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-4P54-36PQ-7QRC

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-08-24 00:00 – Updated: 2022-08-27 00:00
VLAI
Details

A global buffer overflow was discovered in pngcheck function in pngcheck-2.4.0(5 patches applied) via a crafted png file.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2020-35511"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-119",
      "CWE-126"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2022-08-23T20:15:00Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "A global buffer overflow was discovered in pngcheck function in pngcheck-2.4.0(5 patches applied) via a crafted png file.",
  "id": "GHSA-4p54-36pq-7qrc",
  "modified": "2022-08-27T00:00:42Z",
  "published": "2022-08-24T00:00:27Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-35511"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/12/msg00024.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5300"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://www.libpng.org/pub/png/apps/pngcheck.html"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-4P56-8QX8-MX95

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-17 05:32 – Updated: 2025-04-11 03:53
VLAI
Details

The RealVideo renderer in RealNetworks RealPlayer before 15.0.0 and Mac RealPlayer before 12.0.0.1703 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2011-4245"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-119"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2011-11-24T11:55:00Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "The RealVideo renderer in RealNetworks RealPlayer before 15.0.0 and Mac RealPlayer before 12.0.0.1703 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors.",
  "id": "GHSA-4p56-8qx8-mx95",
  "modified": "2025-04-11T03:53:01Z",
  "published": "2022-05-17T05:32:01Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-4245"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://service.real.com/realplayer/security/11182011_player/en"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": []
}

GHSA-4P68-9FV9-Q323

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-17 03:35 – Updated: 2022-05-17 03:35
VLAI
Details

Multiple buffer overflows in FlightGear 2.6 and earlier and SimGear 2.6 and earlier allow user-assisted remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a (1) long string in a rotor tag of an aircraft xml model to the Rotor::getValueforFGSet function in src/FDM/YASim/Rotor.cpp or (2) a crafted UDP packet to the SGSocketUDP::read function in simgear/simgear/simgear/io/sg_socket_udp.cxx.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2012-2091"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-119"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2012-06-17T03:41:00Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "Multiple buffer overflows in FlightGear 2.6 and earlier and SimGear 2.6 and earlier allow user-assisted remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a (1) long string in a rotor tag of an aircraft xml model to the Rotor::getValueforFGSet function in src/FDM/YASim/Rotor.cpp or (2) a crafted UDP packet to the SGSocketUDP::read function in simgear/simgear/simgear/io/sg_socket_udp.cxx.",
  "id": "GHSA-4p68-9fv9-q323",
  "modified": "2022-05-17T03:35:03Z",
  "published": "2022-05-17T03:35:03Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-2091"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=811617"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201603-12"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2012-June/081997.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2012-June/082002.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2012-June/082017.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://secunia.com/advisories/48780"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=28957051"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=29012174"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/04/10/13"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": []
}

GHSA-4P6W-747G-444C

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-03-25 12:30 – Updated: 2025-03-25 12:30
VLAI
Details

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Open Asset Import Library Assimp 5.4.3. This vulnerability affects the function AI_MD5_PARSE_STRING_IN_QUOTATION of the file code/AssetLib/MD5/MD5Parser.cpp of the component MD5 File Handler. The manipulation of the argument data leads to heap-based buffer overflow. The attack can be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2025-2757"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-119"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2025-03-25T10:15:16Z",
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Open Asset Import Library Assimp 5.4.3. This vulnerability affects the function AI_MD5_PARSE_STRING_IN_QUOTATION of the file code/AssetLib/MD5/MD5Parser.cpp of the component MD5 File Handler. The manipulation of the argument data leads to heap-based buffer overflow. The attack can be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used.",
  "id": "GHSA-4p6w-747g-444c",
  "modified": "2025-03-25T12:30:30Z",
  "published": "2025-03-25T12:30:30Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-2757"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/assimp/assimp/issues/6019"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/assimp/assimp/issues/6019#issue-2877376386"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://vuldb.com/?ctiid.300862"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://vuldb.com/?id.300862"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://vuldb.com/?submit.517817"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    },
    {
      "score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X",
      "type": "CVSS_V4"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-4P83-89WV-45CC

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-01 18:38 – Updated: 2022-05-01 18:38
VLAI
Details

Stack-based buffer overflow in the SWCtl.SWCtl ActiveX control in Adobe Shockwave allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code via a long argument to the ShockwaveVersion method.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2007-5941"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-119"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2007-11-14T01:46:00Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "Stack-based buffer overflow in the SWCtl.SWCtl ActiveX control in Adobe Shockwave allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code via a long argument to the ShockwaveVersion method.",
  "id": "GHSA-4p83-89wv-45cc",
  "modified": "2022-05-01T18:38:12Z",
  "published": "2022-05-01T18:38:12Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2007-5941"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/38359"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/4613"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/26388"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": []
}

GHSA-4P88-R37M-7CXR

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-17 03:00 – Updated: 2022-05-17 03:00
VLAI
Details

The smbhash function in fs/cifs/smbencrypt.c in the Linux kernel 4.9.x before 4.9.1 interacts incorrectly with the CONFIG_VMAP_STACK option, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (system crash or memory corruption) or possibly have unspecified other impact by leveraging use of more than one virtual page for a scatterlist.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2016-10154"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-119"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2017-02-06T06:59:00Z",
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "The smbhash function in fs/cifs/smbencrypt.c in the Linux kernel 4.9.x before 4.9.1 interacts incorrectly with the CONFIG_VMAP_STACK option, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (system crash or memory corruption) or possibly have unspecified other impact by leveraging use of more than one virtual page for a scatterlist.",
  "id": "GHSA-4p88-r37m-7cxr",
  "modified": "2022-05-17T03:00:54Z",
  "published": "2022-05-17T03:00:54Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10154"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/06deeec77a5a689cc94b21a8a91a76e42176685d"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1416104"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=06deeec77a5a689cc94b21a8a91a76e42176685d"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.9.1"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/01/21/3"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95714"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-4P8F-Q5HF-M6PR

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-04-05 09:30 – Updated: 2026-04-05 09:30
VLAI
Details

A vulnerability was identified in Tenda AC10 16.03.10.10_multi_TDE01. This affects the function fromSysToolChangePwd of the file /bin/httpd. The manipulation leads to stack-based buffer overflow. The attack may be initiated remotely. Multiple endpoints might be affected.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-5550"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-119"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2026-04-05T08:16:25Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "A vulnerability was identified in Tenda AC10 16.03.10.10_multi_TDE01. This affects the function fromSysToolChangePwd of the file /bin/httpd. The manipulation leads to stack-based buffer overflow. The attack may be initiated remotely. Multiple endpoints might be affected.",
  "id": "GHSA-4p8f-q5hf-m6pr",
  "modified": "2026-04-05T09:30:22Z",
  "published": "2026-04-05T09:30:22Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-5550"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/somanyerrors/tenda-ac10v4-vulnerabilities/blob/main/findings/HIGH-01-getvalue-229-callers.md"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://vuldb.com/submit/782299"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://vuldb.com/vuln/355314"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://vuldb.com/vuln/355314/cti"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.tenda.com.cn"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    },
    {
      "score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X",
      "type": "CVSS_V4"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-4PC4-XV7X-HH9Q

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-13 01:31 – Updated: 2022-05-13 01:31
VLAI
Details

This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable installations of Foxit Reader 9.0.0.29935. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the parsing of BMP images. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a fixed-length, heap-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code under the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-5472.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2018-9947"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-119"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2018-05-17T15:29:00Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable installations of Foxit Reader 9.0.0.29935. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the parsing of BMP images. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a fixed-length, heap-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code under the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-5472.",
  "id": "GHSA-4pc4-xv7x-hh9q",
  "modified": "2022-05-13T01:31:40Z",
  "published": "2022-05-13T01:31:40Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-9947"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/security-bulletins.php"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-18-331"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

Mitigation MIT-3
Requirements

Strategy: Language Selection

  • Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid.
  • For example, many languages that perform their own memory management, such as Java and Perl, are not subject to buffer overflows. Other languages, such as Ada and C#, typically provide overflow protection, but the protection can be disabled by the programmer.
  • Be wary that a language's interface to native code may still be subject to overflows, even if the language itself is theoretically safe.
Mitigation MIT-4.1
Architecture and Design

Strategy: Libraries or Frameworks

  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid.
  • Examples include the Safe C String Library (SafeStr) by Messier and Viega [REF-57], and the Strsafe.h library from Microsoft [REF-56]. These libraries provide safer versions of overflow-prone string-handling functions.
Mitigation MIT-10
Operation Build and Compilation

Strategy: Environment Hardening

  • Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking.
  • D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND [REF-1334] discusses canary-based detection in detail.
Mitigation MIT-9
Implementation
  • Consider adhering to the following rules when allocating and managing an application's memory:
  • Double check that the buffer is as large as specified.
  • When using functions that accept a number of bytes to copy, such as strncpy(), be aware that if the destination buffer size is equal to the source buffer size, it may not NULL-terminate the string.
  • Check buffer boundaries if accessing the buffer in a loop and make sure there is no danger of writing past the allocated space.
  • If necessary, truncate all input strings to a reasonable length before passing them to the copy and concatenation functions.
Mitigation MIT-11
Operation Build and Compilation

Strategy: Environment Hardening

  • Run or compile the software using features or extensions that randomly arrange the positions of a program's executable and libraries in memory. Because this makes the addresses unpredictable, it can prevent an attacker from reliably jumping to exploitable code.
  • Examples include Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) [REF-58] [REF-60] and Position-Independent Executables (PIE) [REF-64]. Imported modules may be similarly realigned if their default memory addresses conflict with other modules, in a process known as "rebasing" (for Windows) and "prelinking" (for Linux) [REF-1332] using randomly generated addresses. ASLR for libraries cannot be used in conjunction with prelink since it would require relocating the libraries at run-time, defeating the whole purpose of prelinking.
  • For more information on these techniques see D3-SAOR (Segment Address Offset Randomization) from D3FEND [REF-1335].
Mitigation MIT-12
Operation

Strategy: Environment Hardening

  • Use a CPU and operating system that offers Data Execution Protection (using hardware NX or XD bits) or the equivalent techniques that simulate this feature in software, such as PaX [REF-60] [REF-61]. These techniques ensure that any instruction executed is exclusively at a memory address that is part of the code segment.
  • For more information on these techniques see D3-PSEP (Process Segment Execution Prevention) from D3FEND [REF-1336].
Mitigation MIT-13
Implementation

Replace unbounded copy functions with analogous functions that support length arguments, such as strcpy with strncpy. Create these if they are not available.

CAPEC-10: Buffer Overflow via Environment Variables

This attack pattern involves causing a buffer overflow through manipulation of environment variables. Once the adversary finds that they can modify an environment variable, they may try to overflow associated buffers. This attack leverages implicit trust often placed in environment variables.

CAPEC-100: Overflow Buffers

Buffer Overflow attacks target improper or missing bounds checking on buffer operations, typically triggered by input injected by an adversary. As a consequence, an adversary is able to write past the boundaries of allocated buffer regions in memory, causing a program crash or potentially redirection of execution as per the adversaries' choice.

CAPEC-123: Buffer Manipulation

An adversary manipulates an application's interaction with a buffer in an attempt to read or modify data they shouldn't have access to. Buffer attacks are distinguished in that it is the buffer space itself that is the target of the attack rather than any code responsible for interpreting the content of the buffer. In virtually all buffer attacks the content that is placed in the buffer is immaterial. Instead, most buffer attacks involve retrieving or providing more input than can be stored in the allocated buffer, resulting in the reading or overwriting of other unintended program memory.

CAPEC-14: Client-side Injection-induced Buffer Overflow

This type of attack exploits a buffer overflow vulnerability in targeted client software through injection of malicious content from a custom-built hostile service. This hostile service is created to deliver the correct content to the client software. For example, if the client-side application is a browser, the service will host a webpage that the browser loads.

CAPEC-24: Filter Failure through Buffer Overflow

In this attack, the idea is to cause an active filter to fail by causing an oversized transaction. An attacker may try to feed overly long input strings to the program in an attempt to overwhelm the filter (by causing a buffer overflow) and hoping that the filter does not fail securely (i.e. the user input is let into the system unfiltered).

CAPEC-42: MIME Conversion

An attacker exploits a weakness in the MIME conversion routine to cause a buffer overflow and gain control over the mail server machine. The MIME system is designed to allow various different information formats to be interpreted and sent via e-mail. Attack points exist when data are converted to MIME compatible format and back.

CAPEC-44: Overflow Binary Resource File

An attack of this type exploits a buffer overflow vulnerability in the handling of binary resources. Binary resources may include music files like MP3, image files like JPEG files, and any other binary file. These attacks may pass unnoticed to the client machine through normal usage of files, such as a browser loading a seemingly innocent JPEG file. This can allow the adversary access to the execution stack and execute arbitrary code in the target process.

CAPEC-45: Buffer Overflow via Symbolic Links

This type of attack leverages the use of symbolic links to cause buffer overflows. An adversary can try to create or manipulate a symbolic link file such that its contents result in out of bounds data. When the target software processes the symbolic link file, it could potentially overflow internal buffers with insufficient bounds checking.

CAPEC-46: Overflow Variables and Tags

This type of attack leverages the use of tags or variables from a formatted configuration data to cause buffer overflow. The adversary crafts a malicious HTML page or configuration file that includes oversized strings, thus causing an overflow.

CAPEC-47: Buffer Overflow via Parameter Expansion

In this attack, the target software is given input that the adversary knows will be modified and expanded in size during processing. This attack relies on the target software failing to anticipate that the expanded data may exceed some internal limit, thereby creating a buffer overflow.

CAPEC-8: Buffer Overflow in an API Call

This attack targets libraries or shared code modules which are vulnerable to buffer overflow attacks. An adversary who has knowledge of known vulnerable libraries or shared code can easily target software that makes use of these libraries. All clients that make use of the code library thus become vulnerable by association. This has a very broad effect on security across a system, usually affecting more than one software process.

CAPEC-9: Buffer Overflow in Local Command-Line Utilities

This attack targets command-line utilities available in a number of shells. An adversary can leverage a vulnerability found in a command-line utility to escalate privilege to root.