# CVE-2006-3942: Null dereference in n/a

> Remote attackers can crash Windows systems via malformed SMB messages causing a null dereference in the server driver.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 31 Jul 2006
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3f78-rrw8-v6hw

## What is CVE-2006-3942?

CVE-2006-3942 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 2000, published on 31 Jul 2006. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The server driver (srv.sys) in Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, 2000, XP, and Server 2003 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (system crash) via an SMB_COM_TRANSACTION SMB message that contains a string without null character termination, which leads to a NULL dereference in the ExecuteTransaction function, possibly related to an "SMB PIPE," aka the "Mailslot DOS" vulnerability.  NOTE: the name "Mailslot DOS" was derived from incomplete initial research; the vulnerability is not associated with a mailslot.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2006-3942?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, Microsoft Windows Xp.

## How do I fix CVE-2006-3942?

No fix has been published for CVE-2006-3942 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2006-3942 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2006-3942 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Microsoft SRV.SYS Mailslot Write Corruption (metasploit)
- Microsoft Windows - Mailslot Ring0 Memory Corruption (MS06-035) (exploitdb)
- Microsoft SRV.SYS Pipe Transaction No Null (metasploit)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 2000

- [CVE-2008-4250](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4250/): Microsoft Windows Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2010-0232](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0232/): Microsoft Windows Kernel Exception Handler (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2009-1123](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-1123/): Microsoft Windows Improper Input Validation (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2002-0367](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0367/): Microsoft Windows Privilege Escalation (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2010-0269](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0269/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2006-3942 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2006-3942 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 2000, published on 31 Jul 2006. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2006-3942 exists.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 2000. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-3942/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-3942/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2006-3942
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2006-3942
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2006-3942

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-3942/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.