CVE-2008-5405: Cain & Abel RDP password decoder stack buffer overflow

Automated analysis

Generated by VULONE's analysis model from the NVD record, CISA KEV and EPSS data on 20 September 2026. Confidence: medium.

high priorityThe flaw allows remote code execution with no authentication and public exploits exist, but exploitation requires the victim to open a crafted RDP file, and no KEV listing confirms active in-the-wild use.

What it is

Cain & Abel 4.9.23 and 4.9.24 (and possibly earlier) contain a stack-based buffer overflow in the RDP protocol password decoder. A crafted RDP file containing an overly long string overflows the buffer, allowing remote code execution. The flaw matters because the tool is commonly used by administrators and attackers alike, and opening a malicious RDP file can compromise the host.

Impact

An attacker who supplies a crafted RDP file can execute arbitrary code in the context of the user running Cain & Abel, giving full control of the affected system. Successful exploitation can lead to credential theft, data exfiltration, or further lateral movement.

Attack surface

The vulnerability is reached remotely via a malicious RDP file that the victim must open or import into Cain & Abel; no authentication is required, but user interaction is needed to load the file. The CVSS vector AV:N/AC:M/Au:N indicates network delivery with medium complexity and no authentication.

Exploitation

Public exploit code exists in Exploit-DB (7297, 7309), and EPSS estimates a 30-day exploitation probability of about 47% (98.8th percentile). The CVE is not listed in CISA KEV, so no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation is documented.

What to do

• Upgrade Cain & Abel to a version later than 4.9.24 if available, or replace it with a maintained alternative.
• Avoid opening or importing RDP files from untrusted or unexpected sources.
• Restrict network delivery of RDP files via email and web gateways where feasible.
• Run Cain & Abel with least privilege and isolate it from sensitive credentials and systems.
• Monitor vendor and OSVDB advisories for updated guidance.

Detection

• Monitor for processes loading unusually large or malformed RDP files into Cain & Abel.
• Alert on crashes or abnormal termination of Cain & Abel processes, which may indicate exploitation attempts.
• Inspect network traffic for RDP file transfers from untrusted sources to hosts running Cain & Abel.
• Review endpoint logs for code execution or child processes spawned by Cain & Abel.

This assessment is produced automatically and is not human-reviewed. Verify against the vendor advisory before acting on it.