CVE-2020-29596 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

MiniWeb HTTP server 0.8.19 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) via a long name for the first parameter in a POST request.

Understanding CVE-2020-29596

This CVE identifies a vulnerability in MiniWeb HTTP server version 0.8.19 that can be exploited by remote attackers to trigger a denial of service attack.

What is CVE-2020-29596?

CVE-2020-29596 is a security vulnerability in MiniWeb HTTP server 0.8.19 that enables attackers to crash the server by sending a specially crafted POST request with an excessively long name for the first parameter.

The Impact of CVE-2020-29596

The vulnerability can lead to a denial of service condition, causing the server to crash and become unresponsive to legitimate requests, disrupting normal operations.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-29596

MiniWeb HTTP server 0.8.19 is susceptible to a denial of service attack due to improper handling of long parameter names in POST requests.

Vulnerability Description

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending a POST request with an excessively long name for the first parameter, causing the server to crash.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: MiniWeb HTTP server
Vendor: N/A
Version: 0.8.19

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can remotely trigger the vulnerability by crafting a malicious POST request with an overly long parameter name, leading to a denial of service condition.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2020-29596 and enhance security, follow these mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Implement network-level protections to filter out potentially malicious requests.
Monitor server logs for any unusual POST requests with long parameter names.
Consider temporarily disabling the affected server until a patch is available.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch the MiniWeb HTTP server to the latest version.
Conduct security assessments and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities proactively.

Patching and Updates

Check for patches or updates released by the MiniWeb HTTP server maintainers to fix the vulnerability.