CAPEC Definitions / CAPEC-14
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.
Extended Description
No Extended Description.
Mitigations
The client software should not install untrusted code from a non-authenticated server.
The client software should have the latest patches and should be audited for vulnerabilities before being used to communicate with potentially hostile servers.
Perform input validation for length of buffer inputs.
Use a language or compiler that performs automatic bounds checking.
Use an abstraction library to abstract away risky APIs. Not a complete solution.
Compiler-based canary mechanisms such as StackGuard, ProPolice and the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag. Unless this provides automatic bounds checking, it is not a complete solution.
Ensure all buffer uses are consistently bounds-checked.
Use OS-level preventative functionality. Not a complete solution.
Relationships with other CAPECs
CAPEC-100: Overflow Buffers
Prerequisites
The targeted client software communicates with an external server.
The targeted client software has a buffer overflow vulnerability.
Related Weaknesses
CWE-120: Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow')
CWE-353: Missing Support for Integrity Check
CWE-118: Incorrect Access of Indexable Resource ('Range Error')
CWE-119: Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
CWE-20: Improper Input Validation
CWE-680: Integer Overflow to Buffer Overflow
CWE-697: Incorrect Comparison
