opennet.ruadvisoryMajor ICQ security hole (1998)
Rootshell Security Bulletin #22 (Aug 1998) reports an ICQ authentication flaw found by a Linux ICQ clone developer. The Mirabilis server stores 8-character passwords, and sending a password of 9 or more characters (e.g. "123456789") overflows the buffer and logs the client in as any UIN not already online. This gives full account takeover, including receiving offline messages. It is not spoofing, and it works with unofficial clients such as zicq, since the official client enforces the length limit client-side.
TL;DR 1998 ICQ bug: a 9+ character password overflows the server's 8-char buffer and logs you in as any UIN, with no password needed.
Organisations named here
- Mirabilis
- Rootshell
- UIN
- zicq
Technologies named here
- zicq
- Rootshell Security Bulletin
- ICQ
Techniques named here
- Account impersonation
- Buffer overflow
- Authentication bypass
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