CVE-2002-0684 in BIND
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in DNS resolver functions that perform lookup of network names and addresses, as used in BIND 4.9.8 and ported to glibc 2.2.5 and earlier, allows remote malicious DNS servers to execute arbitrary code through a subroutine used by functions such as getnetbyname and getnetbyaddr.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0684 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the domain name system resolver functions that are integral to network name and address resolution processes. This weakness affects the Berkeley Internet Name Domain software version 4.9.8 and has been ported to the GNU C Library version 2.2.5 and earlier versions, creating a widespread impact across numerous Unix-like operating systems. The flaw specifically targets the subroutine responsible for handling network name lookups, which are fundamental operations performed by various system functions including getnetbyname and getnetbyaddr that are commonly utilized by applications requiring network information resolution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking within the DNS resolution process when handling responses from malicious DNS servers. When the system attempts to resolve network names or addresses through these functions, it processes DNS responses without adequate validation of buffer sizes, allowing an attacker to craft specially malformed DNS responses that exceed the allocated buffer space. This overflow condition can be exploited to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected process. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be initiated remotely through malicious DNS servers that respond to legitimate network resolution requests, making it difficult to detect and prevent through traditional network monitoring approaches.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-0684 extends far beyond simple denial of service conditions, as successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise and unauthorized code execution. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain control over affected systems, potentially establishing persistent backdoors or using the compromised systems as launching points for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The widespread adoption of the affected software components means that numerous systems across different network environments could be vulnerable, creating significant risk for organizations relying on standard Unix-like operating systems for their network infrastructure. This vulnerability particularly affects systems that perform frequent network name resolution operations, as these are the scenarios where the vulnerable functions are most likely to be invoked.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-0684 primarily involve immediate software updates and patches to address the buffer overflow conditions in both BIND and glibc implementations. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to patched versions of these critical system components, as the vulnerability has been well-documented and remediated through official software updates. Additionally, implementing DNS security measures such as DNSSEC validation and network segmentation can provide additional protection layers. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes the condition of stack-based buffer overflow, and represents a classic example of how improper input validation can lead to arbitrary code execution. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving remote code execution through software exploitation and can be classified under the T1059.007 sub-technique for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation would enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands on compromised systems. Network administrators should also consider implementing firewall rules to restrict DNS traffic to trusted servers and deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious DNS response patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.