CVE-2000-0805 in Firewall-1
Summary
by MITRE
Check Point VPN-1/FireWall-1 4.1 and earlier improperly retransmits encapsulated FWS packets, even if they do not come from a valid FWZ client, aka "Retransmission of Encapsulated Packets."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2000-0805 affects Check Point VPN-1/FireWall-1 versions 4.1 and earlier, specifically targeting the improper retransmission of encapsulated FWS packets. This flaw represents a significant security weakness in the network security infrastructure that could be exploited by unauthorized parties to disrupt network communications and potentially gain unauthorized access to protected systems. The issue stems from the software's failure to properly validate the source of encapsulated packets before retransmitting them, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate network traffic flow.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the packet retransmission mechanism of the firewall software. When the system receives encapsulated FWS packets, it should verify that these packets originate from legitimate FWZ clients before forwarding them. However, the flawed implementation allows the system to retransmit these packets regardless of their source authenticity, effectively bypassing the intended security controls. This behavior creates a condition where unauthorized entities can inject malicious traffic into the network, potentially leading to man-in-the-middle attacks or denial of service scenarios. The vulnerability operates at the network protocol level, specifically affecting the way the firewall handles encapsulated packet forwarding and validation processes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple network disruption to encompass potential data compromise and system integrity breaches. Attackers exploiting this flaw could manipulate network traffic flow, potentially redirecting communications or injecting malicious data into the encrypted tunnels managed by the firewall. This weakness undermines the fundamental security model of the VPN-1/FireWall-1 system, as it allows unauthorized parties to effectively bypass the client authentication mechanisms that are supposed to protect the network. The retransmission behavior could also be leveraged to amplify network traffic or create conditions that might be exploited for further attacks within the network infrastructure.
Organizations using affected versions of Check Point VPN-1/FireWall-1 should implement immediate mitigation strategies including upgrading to patched versions of the software, implementing additional network monitoring to detect anomalous packet retransmission patterns, and configuring access controls to limit the exposure of vulnerable systems. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 related to application layer protocols. System administrators should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of exploitation and establish comprehensive logging to detect unauthorized packet retransmission activities that could indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability.