CVE-2019-20893
📋 TL;DR
This is a critical buffer overflow vulnerability in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on victims' machines by sending a specially crafted joinParty packet. The vulnerability affects all players running the game through December 11, 2019. Attackers can exploit this to take complete control of affected systems.
💻 Affected Systems
- Activision Infinity Ward Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise allowing attackers to install malware, steal data, create backdoors, or use the machine for further attacks.
Likely Case
Game crashes, system instability, or remote code execution leading to malware installation or credential theft.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if network segmentation prevents external access or if systems are patched.
🎯 Exploit Status
Public proof-of-concept code exists on GitHub, making exploitation straightforward for attackers.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Versions after 2019-12-11
Vendor Advisory: Not publicly documented by Activision
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Launch the game client. 2. Allow automatic updates to apply. 3. Verify game version is newer than 2019-12-11. 4. Restart the game if prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network Segmentation
allBlock or restrict access to game servers and ports used by Modern Warfare 2
Firewall Rules
allImplement firewall rules to block suspicious joinParty packets
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable multiplayer functionality and play only in offline/single-player mode
- Implement strict network monitoring for anomalous joinParty packets
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check game version date - if it's 2019-12-11 or earlier, the system is vulnerable.Check Version:
Check game properties or launcher for version informationVerify Fix Applied:
Verify game version date is after 2019-12-11 and test multiplayer functionality.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Game crash logs with memory access violations
- Unexpected process termination of Modern Warfare 2
Network Indicators:
- Unusual joinParty packet patterns
- Malformed network packets to game server ports
SIEM Query:
source="game_logs" AND ("access violation" OR "buffer overflow" OR "joinParty")