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CVE-2004-0574: Microsoft Exchange Server: Buffer overflow

CVE-2004-0574 has a CVSS v2 base score of 10.0 (the maximum on that scale) and affects Microsoft Exchange Server. Per its scoring, it can be exploited over the network, without authentication. The scored impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is the highest available.

Vulnerability description

The Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) component of Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003, Exchange 2000 Server, and Exchange Server 2003 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via XPAT patterns, possibly related to improper length validation and an "unchecked buffer," leading to off-by-one and heap-based buffer overflows.

Severity breakdown

CVSS v2.0 10.0: AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Access vector: Network. Exploitable remotely over the network.
Access complexity: Low. No special conditions are required.
Authentication: None. No authentication is needed.
Confidentiality impact: Complete. Total information disclosure.
Integrity impact: Complete. Total loss of integrity.
Availability impact: Complete. Total shutdown of the component.

Underlying weakness

CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write

The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

Affected products

Microsoft Exchange Server: 2000; 2003
Microsoft Windows 2000: all versions listed by NVD
Microsoft Windows Nt: 4.0
Microsoft Windows Server 2003: r2