CVE-2018-20817

SV_SteamAuthClient in various Activision Infinity Ward Call of Duty games before 2015-08-11 is missing a size check when reading authBlob data into a buffer…

published April 19, 2019

CVSS
—
EPSS
4%
Percentile
89.5
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

⚠️ A size check is missing in the SV_SteamAuthClient, creating a sneaky way to execute code remotely just by sending a steam authentication request! 🎮 Think of this like a restaurant accepting any order without checking how big the meal really is — if someone orders a feast but only pays for a snack, the kitchen might get overloaded, making a total mess! This vulnerability could allow a crafty attacker to execute arbitrary code on the game server during the authentication process. Essentially, a bad actor could manipulate the game environment, leading to data theft or even server disruptions. Talk about a disastrous multiplayer match!

Put simply

Think of this like a restaurant accepting any order without checking how big the meal really is — if someone orders a feast but only pays for a snack, the kitchen might get overloaded, making a total mess! The flaw arises from the lack of a size check when reading 'authBlob' data into a buffer in various Call of Duty games, enabling potential remote code execution by sending specially crafted requests.

What to do

This vulnerability could allow a crafty attacker to execute arbitrary code on the game server during the authentication process. Essentially, a bad actor could manipulate the game environment, leading to data theft or even server disruptions. Talk about a disastrous multiplayer match! To mitigate this issue, developers should review the affected versions of these games, implement rigorous size checks for incoming data, and apply any available patches. Make sure to keep an eye on game updates for further guidance! You've got this! With a few proactive steps, you can help secure those game servers and keep the online battlefields safe! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS
Not scored
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.03637 · 89.5th percentile
Published
2019-04-19T22:08Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 19 APR 22:08Z
    SV_SteamAuthClient in various Activision Infinity Ward Call of Duty games before 2015-08-11 is missing a size check when reading authBlob data into a buffer…
    cvelistv5