CVE-2000-1097 in SOHO Firewall
Summary
by MITRE
The web server for the SonicWALL SOHO firewall allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a long username in the authentication page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2019
The CVE-2000-1097 vulnerability affects SonicWALL SOHO firewall web servers, representing a classic buffer overflow condition that enables remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks. This weakness specifically manifests when the authentication page processes username inputs of excessive length, creating a scenario where the web server fails to properly validate input boundaries before processing user credentials. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the firewall's authentication subsystem, allowing malicious actors to exploit the lack of proper boundary checking in the username field processing logic.
The technical flaw operates through a buffer overflow condition where the web server's authentication handler does not enforce reasonable limits on username length, enabling attackers to submit usernames that exceed the allocated memory buffer size. When the system attempts to process these excessively long usernames, the overflow corrupts adjacent memory segments, potentially causing the web server process to crash or become unresponsive. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions that occur when insufficient boundary checking allows data to be written beyond allocated buffer space, and also relates to CWE-122, which addresses insufficient boundary checking for buffer operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it can effectively render the firewall's administrative interface inaccessible to legitimate users while simultaneously providing attackers with a method to disable critical network security functions. The denial of service condition affects not only the web management interface but can also potentially impact the firewall's core functionality, as the web server component often serves as the primary interface for accessing firewall configuration and monitoring capabilities. Organizations relying on SonicWALL SOHO firewalls for network security may experience complete loss of administrative control over their security infrastructure, creating a window of vulnerability where network traffic flows unrestricted through potentially unmonitored paths.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2000-1097 should prioritize immediate implementation of input validation controls that enforce reasonable username length limits, typically restricting field inputs to 32-64 characters maximum to prevent buffer overflow conditions. Network administrators should also implement rate limiting and connection throttling mechanisms to prevent exploitation attempts, while ensuring that all SonicWALL devices receive the appropriate firmware updates from vendor sources. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of applying the principle of least privilege and input sanitization, as outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework's defense in depth strategies, where proper input validation serves as a fundamental protective control against remote code execution and denial of service attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and redundant access methods to maintain operational continuity even when primary administrative interfaces become unavailable due to such vulnerabilities.