Vulnerabilities > CVE-2016-4478 - Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer vulnerability in multiple products

047910
CVSS 5.0 - MEDIUM
Attack vector
NETWORK
Attack complexity
LOW
Privileges required
NONE
Confidentiality impact
NONE
Integrity impact
NONE
Availability impact
PARTIAL
network
low complexity
opensuse
atheme
debian
CWE-119
nessus

Summary

Buffer overflow in the xmlrpc_char_encode function in modules/transport/xmlrpc/xmlrpclib.c in Atheme before 7.2.7 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via vectors related to XMLRPC response encoding.

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Buffer Overflow via Environment Variables
    This attack pattern involves causing a buffer overflow through manipulation of environment variables. Once the attacker 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.
  • Overflow Buffers
    Buffer Overflow attacks target improper or missing bounds checking on buffer operations, typically triggered by input injected by an attacker. As a consequence, an attacker 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 attackers' choice.
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • 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.

Nessus

  • NASL familySuSE Local Security Checks
    NASL idOPENSUSE-2016-590.NASL
    descriptionThis update for atheme fixes the following issues : - CVE-2016-4478: Under certain circumstances, a remote attacker could cause denial of service due to a buffer overflow in the XMLRPC response encoding code (boo#978170) - CVE-2014-9773: Remote attacker could change Atheme
    last seen2020-06-05
    modified2016-05-18
    plugin id91207
    published2016-05-18
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2016-2020 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/91207
    titleopenSUSE Security Update : atheme (openSUSE-2016-590)
    code
    #%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80502
    #
    # (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    #
    # The descriptive text and package checks in this plugin were
    # extracted from openSUSE Security Update openSUSE-2016-590.
    #
    # The text description of this plugin is (C) SUSE LLC.
    #
    
    include("compat.inc");
    
    if (description)
    {
      script_id(91207);
      script_version("2.4");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2020/06/04");
    
      script_cve_id("CVE-2014-9773", "CVE-2016-4478");
    
      script_name(english:"openSUSE Security Update : atheme (openSUSE-2016-590)");
      script_summary(english:"Check for the openSUSE-2016-590 patch");
    
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"synopsis", 
        value:"The remote openSUSE host is missing a security update."
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"description", 
        value:
    "This update for atheme fixes the following issues :
    
      - CVE-2016-4478: Under certain circumstances, a remote
        attacker could cause denial of service due to a buffer
        overflow in the XMLRPC response encoding code
        (boo#978170)
    
      - CVE-2014-9773: Remote attacker could change Atheme's
        behavior by registering/dropping certain accounts/nicks
        (boo#978170)
    
    The version update to 7.2.6 also contains a number of upstream fixes."
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"see_also",
        value:"https://bugzilla.opensuse.org/show_bug.cgi?id=978170"
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"solution", 
        value:"Update the affected atheme packages."
      );
      script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N");
      script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N");
    
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:novell:opensuse:atheme");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:novell:opensuse:atheme-debuginfo");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:novell:opensuse:atheme-debugsource");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:novell:opensuse:atheme-devel");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:novell:opensuse:libathemecore1");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:novell:opensuse:libathemecore1-debuginfo");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:novell:opensuse:13.2");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:novell:opensuse:42.1");
    
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2016/05/17");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2016/05/18");
      script_end_attributes();
    
      script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
      script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2016-2020 Tenable Network Security, Inc.");
      script_family(english:"SuSE Local Security Checks");
    
      script_dependencies("ssh_get_info.nasl");
      script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "Host/SuSE/release", "Host/SuSE/rpm-list", "Host/cpu");
    
      exit(0);
    }
    
    
    include("audit.inc");
    include("global_settings.inc");
    include("rpm.inc");
    
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
    release = get_kb_item("Host/SuSE/release");
    if (isnull(release) || release =~ "^(SLED|SLES)") audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, "openSUSE");
    if (release !~ "^(SUSE13\.2|SUSE42\.1)$") audit(AUDIT_OS_RELEASE_NOT, "openSUSE", "13.2 / 42.1", release);
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/SuSE/rpm-list")) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);
    
    ourarch = get_kb_item("Host/cpu");
    if (!ourarch) audit(AUDIT_UNKNOWN_ARCH);
    if (ourarch !~ "^(i586|i686|x86_64)$") audit(AUDIT_ARCH_NOT, "i586 / i686 / x86_64", ourarch);
    
    flag = 0;
    
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE13.2", reference:"atheme-7.2.6-2.3.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE13.2", reference:"atheme-debuginfo-7.2.6-2.3.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE13.2", reference:"atheme-debugsource-7.2.6-2.3.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE13.2", reference:"atheme-devel-7.2.6-2.3.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE13.2", reference:"libathemecore1-7.2.6-2.3.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE13.2", reference:"libathemecore1-debuginfo-7.2.6-2.3.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE42.1", reference:"atheme-7.2.6-5.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE42.1", reference:"atheme-debuginfo-7.2.6-5.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE42.1", reference:"atheme-debugsource-7.2.6-5.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE42.1", reference:"atheme-devel-7.2.6-5.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE42.1", reference:"libathemecore1-7.2.6-5.1") ) flag++;
    if ( rpm_check(release:"SUSE42.1", reference:"libathemecore1-debuginfo-7.2.6-5.1") ) flag++;
    
    if (flag)
    {
      if (report_verbosity > 0) security_warning(port:0, extra:rpm_report_get());
      else security_warning(0);
      exit(0);
    }
    else
    {
      tested = pkg_tests_get();
      if (tested) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_AFFECTED, tested);
      else audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_INSTALLED, "atheme / atheme-debuginfo / atheme-debugsource / atheme-devel / etc");
    }
    
  • NASL familyDebian Local Security Checks
    NASL idDEBIAN_DSA-3586.NASL
    descriptionIt was discovered that a buffer overflow in the XMLRPC response encoding code of the Atheme IRC services may result in denial of service.
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id91300
    published2016-05-24
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2016-2018 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/91300
    titleDebian DSA-3586-1 : atheme-services - security update
    code
    #
    # (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    #
    # The descriptive text and package checks in this plugin were  
    # extracted from Debian Security Advisory DSA-3586. The text 
    # itself is copyright (C) Software in the Public Interest, Inc.
    #
    
    include("compat.inc");
    
    if (description)
    {
      script_id(91300);
      script_version("2.8");
      script_cvs_date("Date: 2018/11/10 11:49:37");
    
      script_cve_id("CVE-2016-4478");
      script_xref(name:"DSA", value:"3586");
    
      script_name(english:"Debian DSA-3586-1 : atheme-services - security update");
      script_summary(english:"Checks dpkg output for the updated package");
    
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"synopsis", 
        value:"The remote Debian host is missing a security-related update."
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"description", 
        value:
    "It was discovered that a buffer overflow in the XMLRPC response
    encoding code of the Atheme IRC services may result in denial of
    service."
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"see_also",
        value:"https://packages.debian.org/source/jessie/atheme-services"
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"see_also",
        value:"https://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3586"
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"solution", 
        value:
    "Upgrade the atheme-services packages.
    
    For the stable distribution (jessie), this problem has been fixed in
    version 6.0.11-2+deb8u1."
      );
      script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P");
      script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:C");
      script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H");
      script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");
    
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:debian:debian_linux:atheme-services");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:8.0");
    
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2016/05/23");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2016/05/24");
      script_end_attributes();
    
      script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
      script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2016-2018 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");
      script_family(english:"Debian Local Security Checks");
    
      script_dependencies("ssh_get_info.nasl");
      script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "Host/Debian/release", "Host/Debian/dpkg-l");
    
      exit(0);
    }
    
    
    include("audit.inc");
    include("debian_package.inc");
    
    
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/Debian/release")) audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, "Debian");
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/Debian/dpkg-l")) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);
    
    
    flag = 0;
    if (deb_check(release:"8.0", prefix:"atheme-services", reference:"6.0.11-2+deb8u1")) flag++;
    
    if (flag)
    {
      if (report_verbosity > 0) security_warning(port:0, extra:deb_report_get());
      else security_warning(0);
      exit(0);
    }
    else audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, "affected");
    
  • NASL familyFreeBSD Local Security Checks
    NASL idFREEBSD_PKG_E47AB5DBC33311E6AE1B002590263BF5.NASL
    descriptionMitre reports : modules/chanserv/flags.c in Atheme before 7.2.7 allows remote attackers to modify the Anope FLAGS behavior by registering and dropping the (1) LIST, (2) CLEAR, or (3) MODIFY keyword nicks. Buffer overflow in the xmlrpc_char_encode function in modules/transport/xmlrpc/xmlrpclib.c in Atheme before 7.2.7 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via vectors related to XMLRPC response encoding.
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id95909
    published2016-12-16
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2016-2018 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/95909
    titleFreeBSD : atheme-services -- multiple vulnerabilities (e47ab5db-c333-11e6-ae1b-002590263bf5)
    code
    #
    # (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    #
    # The descriptive text and package checks in this plugin were  
    # extracted from the FreeBSD VuXML database :
    #
    # Copyright 2003-2018 Jacques Vidrine and contributors
    #
    # Redistribution and use in source (VuXML) and 'compiled' forms (SGML,
    # HTML, PDF, PostScript, RTF and so forth) with or without modification,
    # are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
    # 1. Redistributions of source code (VuXML) must retain the above
    #    copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
    #    disclaimer as the first lines of this file unmodified.
    # 2. Redistributions in compiled form (transformed to other DTDs,
    #    published online in any format, converted to PDF, PostScript,
    #    RTF and other formats) must reproduce the above copyright
    #    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
    #    in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
    #    distribution.
    # 
    # THIS DOCUMENTATION IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
    # AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
    # THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
    # PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR OR CONTRIBUTORS
    # BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY,
    # OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT
    # OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR
    # BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY,
    # WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE
    # OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS DOCUMENTATION,
    # EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
    #
    
    include("compat.inc");
    
    if (description)
    {
      script_id(95909);
      script_version("3.2");
      script_cvs_date("Date: 2018/11/10 11:49:46");
    
      script_cve_id("CVE-2014-9773", "CVE-2016-4478");
    
      script_name(english:"FreeBSD : atheme-services -- multiple vulnerabilities (e47ab5db-c333-11e6-ae1b-002590263bf5)");
      script_summary(english:"Checks for updated package in pkg_info output");
    
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"synopsis", 
        value:"The remote FreeBSD host is missing a security-related update."
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"description", 
        value:
    "Mitre reports :
    
    modules/chanserv/flags.c in Atheme before 7.2.7 allows remote
    attackers to modify the Anope FLAGS behavior by registering and
    dropping the (1) LIST, (2) CLEAR, or (3) MODIFY keyword nicks.
    
    Buffer overflow in the xmlrpc_char_encode function in
    modules/transport/xmlrpc/xmlrpclib.c in Atheme before 7.2.7 allows
    remote attackers to cause a denial of service via vectors related to
    XMLRPC response encoding."
      );
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"see_also",
        value:"https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=209217"
      );
      # https://github.com/atheme/atheme/commit/87580d767868360d2fed503980129504da84b63e
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"see_also",
        value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?34af9c85"
      );
      # https://github.com/atheme/atheme/commit/c597156adc60a45b5f827793cd420945f47bc03b
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"see_also",
        value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?d6511750"
      );
      # https://vuxml.freebsd.org/freebsd/e47ab5db-c333-11e6-ae1b-002590263bf5.html
      script_set_attribute(
        attribute:"see_also",
        value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?2a193e90"
      );
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:"Update the affected package.");
      script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N");
      script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N");
    
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:freebsd:freebsd:atheme-services");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:freebsd:freebsd");
    
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2016/01/09");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2016/12/16");
      script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2016/12/16");
      script_end_attributes();
    
      script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
      script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2016-2018 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");
      script_family(english:"FreeBSD Local Security Checks");
    
      script_dependencies("ssh_get_info.nasl");
      script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "Host/FreeBSD/release", "Host/FreeBSD/pkg_info");
    
      exit(0);
    }
    
    
    include("audit.inc");
    include("freebsd_package.inc");
    
    
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/FreeBSD/release")) audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, "FreeBSD");
    if (!get_kb_item("Host/FreeBSD/pkg_info")) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);
    
    
    flag = 0;
    
    if (pkg_test(save_report:TRUE, pkg:"atheme-services<7.2.7")) flag++;
    
    if (flag)
    {
      if (report_verbosity > 0) security_warning(port:0, extra:pkg_report_get());
      else security_warning(0);
      exit(0);
    }
    else audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, "affected");