CVE-2011-1889
Buffer Overflow in The NSPLookupServiceNext function in the client in Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) 2010 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors involving unspecified requests, aka "TMG Firewall Client Memory Corruption Vulnerability
Executive Summary
CVE-2011-1889 is a critical severity vulnerability affecting binary-analysis. It is classified as Memory Buffer Overflow. This vulnerability is actively being exploited in the wild.
Precogs AI Insight
"The NSPLookupServiceNext function in Microsoft Forefront TMG contains a buffer overflow. Attackers send crafted DNS requests to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. Precogs Binary SAST detects missing bounds checks in network service clients."
What is this vulnerability?
CVE-2011-1889 is categorized as a critical Buffer Overflow flaw with a CVSS base score of 9.8. Based on our vulnerability intelligence, this issue occurs when the application fails to securely handle untrusted data boundaries.
The NSPLookupServiceNext function in the client in Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) 2010 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors involving unspecified requests, aka "TMG Firewall Client Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
This architectural defect enables adversaries to bypass intended security controls, directly manipulating the application's execution state or data layer. Immediate strategic intervention is required.
Risk Assessment
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| CVSS Base Score | 9.8 (CRITICAL) |
| Vector String | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| Published | June 16, 2011 |
| Last Modified | April 22, 2026 |
| Related CWEs | CWE-119, CWE-119 |
Impact on Systems
✅ Remote Code Execution: Attackers can overwrite the instruction pointer to redirect execution to malicious shellcode.
✅ Memory Corruption: Overwriting adjacent memory regions can corrupt critical application state, leading to privilege escalation.
✅ Denial of Service: Triggering segmentation faults results in immediate disruption of critical systems.
How to Fix and Mitigate CVE-2011-1889
- Apply Vendor Patches Immediately: This vulnerability is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Apply updates per vendor instructions.
- Verify Patch Deployment: Confirm all instances are updated using Precogs continuous monitoring.
- Review Audit Logs: Investigate historical access logs for indicators of compromise related to this attack surface.
- Implement Defense-in-Depth: Deploy WAF rules, network segmentation, and endpoint detection to limit blast radius.
Defending with Precogs AI
The NSPLookupServiceNext function in Microsoft Forefront TMG contains a buffer overflow. Attackers send crafted DNS requests to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. Precogs Binary SAST detects missing bounds checks in network service clients.
Use Precogs to continuously scan your codebase, binaries, APIs, and infrastructure for this vulnerability class and related attack patterns. Our AI-powered detection engine combines static analysis with threat intelligence to identify exploitable weaknesses before attackers do.
Vulnerability Code Signature
Attack Data Flow
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Source | Network packet or file input |
| Vector | Data exceeds the allocated buffer bounds during a copy operation |
| Sink | strcpy(), memcpy(), or pointer arithmetic |
| Impact | Memory corruption, Remote Code Execution (RCE) |
Vulnerable Code Pattern
// ❌ VULNERABLE: Memory Buffer Overflow
void process_data(char *input) {
char buffer[64];
// Taint sink: copies without bounds checking
strcpy(buffer, input);
}
Secure Code Pattern
// ✅ SECURE: Bounded copy
void process_data(char *input) {
char buffer[64];
// Sanitized boundary check
strncpy(buffer, input, sizeof(buffer) - 1);
buffer[sizeof(buffer) - 1] = '\0';
}
How Precogs Detects This
Precogs Binary SAST engine explicitly uncovers memory boundary violations and unsafe memory management functions in compiled binaries.\n