CVE-2000-1193 in IRIX
Summary
by MITRE
Performance Metrics Collector Daemon (PMCD) in Performance Copilot in IRIX 6.x allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (resource exhaustion) via an extremely long string to the PMCD port.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/09/2024
The Performance Metrics Collector Daemon (PMCD) represents a critical component within the Performance Copilot framework used in IRIX operating systems version 6.x, serving as the central daemon responsible for collecting and managing performance metrics from various system components. This daemon operates on a dedicated port and provides essential monitoring capabilities for system administrators to track resource utilization and performance characteristics. The vulnerability resides in the daemon's insufficient input validation mechanisms, specifically when processing strings received through network connections. When an attacker sends an extremely long string to the PMCD port, the daemon fails to properly handle the excessive input length, leading to resource exhaustion conditions that ultimately result in system instability and denial of service.
The technical flaw manifests as a lack of proper bounds checking and input length validation within the PMCD's network processing routines. When the daemon receives a malformed string exceeding normal operational parameters, it attempts to process and store this excessive data without adequate memory management or size constraints. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-122, which describes insufficient input validation leading to buffer overflows and memory corruption issues. The daemon's processing logic does not implement proper string length limits or memory allocation controls, causing it to consume excessive system resources during the parsing of oversized input data. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the network level, making it accessible to remote attackers without requiring local system access or authentication credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can lead to complete system unavailability and compromise the integrity of performance monitoring capabilities. When exploited, the denial of service condition affects not only the PMCD daemon itself but can also impact other system services that depend on performance metrics for proper operation. System administrators lose visibility into critical performance data during the attack period, making troubleshooting and incident response significantly more challenging. The vulnerability affects the availability aspect of the CIA triad, specifically targeting the system's ability to maintain continuous operation and service delivery. Attackers can exploit this weakness to create sustained denial of service conditions, potentially disrupting business operations and critical system monitoring functions. The vulnerability also falls under ATT&CK technique T1499, which encompasses network denial of service attacks that target system availability.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and resource management controls within the PMCD daemon. System administrators should configure network access controls to restrict access to the PMCD port, limiting connections to trusted sources only. Implementing rate limiting and connection timeout mechanisms can help prevent resource exhaustion attacks from succeeding. The most effective long-term solution involves updating to patched versions of IRIX that include proper input validation and memory management controls for the PMCD daemon. Additionally, network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to limit exposure of the PMCD port to only necessary systems. Regular monitoring and logging of network connections to the PMCD port can help detect potential exploitation attempts and provide early warning of attacks. Organizations should also implement automated response mechanisms that can detect and block suspicious traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation in network services and demonstrates how seemingly simple flaws can lead to significant operational impacts in system monitoring infrastructure.