CVE-2000-0806 in Firewall-1
Summary
by MITRE
The inter-module authentication mechanism (fwa1) in Check Point VPN-1/FireWall-1 4.1 and earlier may allow remote attackers to conduct a denial of service, aka "Inter-module Communications Bypass."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/27/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2000-0806 resides within the inter-module authentication mechanism known as fwa1 in Check Point VPN-1/FireWall-1 version 4.1 and earlier systems. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that undermines the fundamental integrity of the firewall's internal communication protocols. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication processes that occur between different modules within the firewall software, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit weaknesses in the system's internal security architecture. The affected version represents a legacy implementation that lacks proper validation mechanisms for inter-module communications, making it susceptible to exploitation by unauthorized parties who can manipulate the authentication flow.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of authentication tokens and credentials exchanged between firewall modules. When the fwa1 mechanism fails to properly verify the authenticity of communication requests between internal components, it creates opportunities for attackers to forge or manipulate authentication data. This weakness allows remote attackers to bypass the normal authentication procedures that should occur between modules, effectively undermining the firewall's ability to maintain secure internal communications. The flaw operates at a foundational level of the firewall's architecture, where the lack of proper cryptographic verification or integrity checks enables malicious actors to inject false authentication data. This bypass mechanism can be exploited to manipulate the flow of legitimate internal communications, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, though that represents one of the primary consequences. Remote attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can disrupt normal firewall operations by interfering with inter-module communications, leading to complete system failure or unauthorized access to sensitive network resources. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it allows remote exploitation without requiring local system access or elevated privileges, making it accessible to attackers who may only have network-level access to the target environment. This vulnerability effectively creates a backdoor within the firewall's own architecture, enabling attackers to manipulate internal processes that should remain protected from external interference. The potential for extended impact includes complete network compromise, as the firewall's ability to enforce security policies becomes compromised.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary solution involves upgrading to Check Point VPN-1/FireWall-1 versions that contain proper authentication validation mechanisms and have resolved this specific flaw. Organizations should implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect unusual inter-module communication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security controls should include regular auditing of firewall internal communications and implementation of intrusion detection systems specifically configured to monitor for authentication bypass attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a significant concern under ATT&CK technique T1072 for software deployment tools. Organizations should also consider implementing additional network-level controls such as firewall rule restrictions and access control lists to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.