CVE-2001-1376 in Xtradius
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in digest calculation function of multiple RADIUS implementations allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code via shared secret data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-1376 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the digest calculation function of various RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) implementations. This weakness affects the core authentication mechanism used by network access servers to verify user credentials and authorize network connections. The vulnerability specifically manifests when RADIUS servers process shared secret data during authentication transactions, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to disrupt service availability or potentially gain unauthorized system access.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation and buffer management within the cryptographic digest calculation routines of RADIUS implementations. When processing authentication requests containing specially crafted shared secret data, the vulnerable code fails to properly bounds-check the input buffer before performing cryptographic operations. This allows attackers to overflow the allocated memory space and overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the RADIUS protocol's authentication mechanisms, making it particularly dangerous in network environments where RADIUS servers are extensively deployed for user authentication and access control.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable arbitrary code execution on affected systems. Remote attackers who successfully exploit this buffer overflow can manipulate the execution flow of the RADIUS server process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. In environments where RADIUS servers serve as critical authentication points for network access, this vulnerability could result in unauthorized network access, data breaches, and complete loss of authentication control. The attack vector requires only network connectivity to the vulnerable RADIUS server, making it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to exploit network infrastructure components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2001-1376 should prioritize immediate patching of affected RADIUS implementations, as this vulnerability has been widely exploited since its disclosure. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to RADIUS servers and deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious authentication traffic patterns. Additionally, configuring RADIUS servers to validate input lengths and implement proper input sanitization can provide defense-in-depth measures. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1110 for credential access and T1499 for network denial of service. Network administrators should also consider implementing authentication logging and monitoring to detect exploitation attempts and maintain audit trails for forensic analysis.