Executive Summary

CVE-2009-20008 is a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in Green Dam Youth Escort version 3.17, a content-control software. The flaw occurs in the URL filtering component, which does not properly validate the length of URLs before copying them into a fixed-size buffer. This allows a remote attacker to craft an overly long URL that, when visited by a user, triggers the buffer overflow and enables the attacker to execute arbitrary code remotely on the affected system. The vulnerability specifically affects Internet Explorer running on Windows XP and Vista systems with Green Dam installed. Exploits use advanced techniques like .NET DLL memory injection to bypass security features such as DEP and ASLR. [1, 2, 4, 5, 6]

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Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on your computer without requiring any privileges, by tricking you into visiting a specially crafted malicious webpage with an overly long URL. Successful exploitation can lead to full compromise of the affected system, including unauthorized access, data theft, installation of malware, or denial of service. Because Green Dam injects itself into browser processes, the attack surface includes Internet Explorer on Windows XP and Vista systems with Green Dam installed. The exploit can bypass modern security protections, making it highly dangerous. [1, 2, 4, 5, 6]

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Detection Guidance

Detection of this vulnerability involves identifying the presence of Green Dam Youth Escort version 3.17 on the system, especially if Internet Explorer 6 or 7 is used on Windows XP SP2/SP3 or Vista SP1. Network detection can focus on monitoring for unusually long URLs being processed or visited, as the vulnerability is triggered by overly long URLs. Since Green Dam injects itself into browser processes and monitors URLs, one can look for processes related to Green Dam or SurfGd.dll injection. Specific commands are not explicitly provided in the resources, but general approaches include scanning for the Green Dam software installation, checking loaded DLLs in browser processes, and monitoring HTTP traffic for suspiciously long URLs or requests to suspicious domains hosting exploit pages. Additionally, using Metasploit modules (e.g., greendam_url.rb) can help test for the vulnerability by attempting to trigger the overflow in a controlled environment. [1, 4, 5, 6]

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Mitigation Strategies

Immediate mitigation steps include uninstalling Green Dam Youth Escort version 3.17 or any vulnerable versions prior to 3.174, as the software is no longer supported and contains fundamental security flaws. If uninstallation is not immediately possible, avoid visiting untrusted or suspicious websites that might host maliciously crafted long URLs designed to exploit the vulnerability. Applying any available patches or updates (such as version 3.17a or later) may reduce risk, but these do not fully resolve all vulnerabilities. Network administrators should consider blocking or monitoring traffic that contains excessively long URLs or unusual HTTP headers that could trigger the overflow. Ultimately, removal of the software is strongly advised to protect systems from remote code execution attacks. [2, 6]

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