CVE-2018-20817 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis
Learn about CVE-2018-20817, a critical vulnerability in Activision Infinity Ward Call of Duty games pre-2015, enabling remote code execution. Find out how to mitigate and prevent this security risk.
The SV_SteamAuthClient component in various Activision Infinity Ward Call of Duty games before 2015-08-11 is vulnerable to remote code execution through a steam authentication request.
Understanding CVE-2018-20817
This CVE describes a critical vulnerability in multiple Call of Duty games that could allow an attacker to execute code on a target machine remotely.
What is CVE-2018-20817?
The SV_SteamAuthClient component in several Activision Infinity Ward Call of Duty games lacks a size check when reading authBlob data into a buffer, enabling remote code execution by sending a steam authentication request.
The Impact of CVE-2018-20817
The vulnerability allows malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on affected machines, compromising their security and potentially leading to further exploitation.
Technical Details of CVE-2018-20817
The technical aspects of this CVE are crucial to understanding the nature of the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
The issue arises from the absence of a size check in the SV_SteamAuthClient component, which permits unauthorized code execution through a crafted steam authentication request.
Affected Systems and Versions
The following Call of Duty games are impacted by this vulnerability:
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
- Call of Duty: Ghosts
- Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 1
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted steam authentication request to the target machine, triggering the execution of malicious code.
Mitigation and Prevention
Protecting systems from CVE-2018-20817 requires immediate action and long-term security measures.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply security patches provided by the game developers to mitigate the vulnerability.
- Monitor network traffic for any suspicious steam authentication requests.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update and patch all software to prevent known vulnerabilities.
- Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.
Patching and Updates
Ensure that all affected Call of Duty games are updated to versions that address the SV_SteamAuthClient vulnerability.