CVE-2002-0029 in BIND
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflows in the DNS stub resolver library in ISC BIND 4.9.2 through 4.9.10, and other derived libraries such as BSD libc and GNU glibc, allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via DNS server responses that trigger the overflow in the (1) getnetbyname, or (2) getnetbyaddr functions, aka "LIBRESOLV: buffer overrun" and a different vulnerability than CVE-2002-0684.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0029 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the DNS stub resolver library that affected ISC BIND versions 4.9.2 through 4.9.10 and subsequently impacted derivative implementations including BSD libc and GNU glibc. This vulnerability operates at the core of network name resolution functionality where applications rely on these libraries to translate domain names into IP addresses and vice versa. The flaw specifically manifests when processing DNS server responses that contain malformed data structures, creating conditions where buffer boundaries are exceeded during the execution of network resolution functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the getnetbyname and getnetbyaddr functions, which are part of the standard resolver library implementation. These functions handle network name resolution by parsing DNS responses and storing results in fixed-size buffers. When an attacker crafts malicious DNS responses containing oversized data fields or malformed records, the buffer overflow occurs during the parsing process, allowing arbitrary code execution on the target system. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and bounds checking within the DNS resolution code path, specifically in how the resolver library handles network data received from authoritative DNS servers.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-0029 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass complete system compromise through remote code execution. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by positioning themselves between a victim system and a DNS server, or by compromising a DNS server itself, to deliver malicious responses that trigger the buffer overflow condition. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication and can be executed against any system running vulnerable versions of the affected libraries. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage in DNS communication. Systems utilizing these vulnerable libraries are at risk of complete compromise, as successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected process, typically running as the user account that initiated the DNS resolution.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-0029 require immediate patching of all affected systems with updated versions of ISC BIND and corresponding updates to libc implementations. Organizations must prioritize updating their DNS resolver libraries and ensuring that all systems using these libraries are patched, particularly those running older versions of BSD or GNU/Linux distributions. Network administrators should implement DNS security measures including DNSSEC validation and monitoring for suspicious DNS traffic patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in network services and highlights the need for robust bounds checking in system libraries that handle external data. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, while regular security audits should verify that no systems remain vulnerable to this class of buffer overflow attacks.