CVE-2001-0182 in Firewall-1
Summary
by MITRE
FireWall-1 4.1 with a limited-IP license allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service by sending a large number of spoofed IP packets with various source addresses to the inside interface, which floods the console with warning messages and consumes CPU resources.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2001-0182 represents a significant denial of service weakness in Check Point FireWall-1 version 4.1 when operating under a limited-IP license configuration. This flaw exploits the system's handling of IP packet processing and logging mechanisms, creating a scenario where legitimate network operations can be severely disrupted through malicious packet flooding. The vulnerability specifically targets the inside interface of the firewall, which serves as a critical boundary for internal network security and traffic management.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the exploitation of FireWall-1's IP packet processing logic and its associated logging capabilities. When the firewall receives a large volume of spoofed IP packets with varying source addresses, it attempts to process each packet through its normal inspection procedures. The system's limited-IP license configuration restricts the number of concurrent IP connections or sessions that can be handled, forcing the firewall to repeatedly log warnings about IP address conflicts or invalid source addresses. This results in excessive console output generation and CPU resource consumption as the system struggles to process and log each malicious packet individually.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the entire firewall's operational integrity. The flood of warning messages can overwhelm the console interface, making it difficult for administrators to monitor legitimate system activity or respond to actual security incidents. Additionally, the excessive CPU consumption can degrade overall firewall performance, potentially causing legitimate traffic to be delayed or dropped, and ultimately leading to complete system unresponsiveness. This type of attack directly violates the availability principle of the CIA triad and can be classified as a resource exhaustion attack pattern.
This vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-400, which describes unchecked resource consumption, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1498, which covers network denial of service. The attack vector specifically targets the firewall's packet processing engine through the use of spoofed IP addresses, which is a common technique in network-level attacks. The limited-IP license restriction creates a specific environment where the system becomes particularly vulnerable to this type of resource exhaustion attack, as the system lacks the proper capacity management mechanisms to handle high-volume packet processing.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate the affected firewall, rate limiting mechanisms to control packet flow, and monitoring systems to detect unusual warning message patterns. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to a newer FireWall-1 version that properly handles spoofed packet processing and includes enhanced resource management capabilities. Additionally, implementing proper network access controls and intrusion detection systems can help identify and block malicious packet flooding attempts before they can overwhelm the firewall's processing capabilities. Security administrators should also consider configuring the firewall to limit logging verbosity during high-traffic situations to prevent console flooding while maintaining essential security monitoring functions.