CVE-2003-1320 in SonicWall
Summary
by MITRE
SonicWALL firmware before 6.4.0.1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service and possibly execute arbitrary code via crafted Internet Key Exchange (IKE) response packets, possibly including (1) a large Security Parameter Index (SPI) field, (2) a large number of payloads, or (3) a long payload.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/16/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-1320 affects SonicWALL firewall firmware versions prior to 6.4.0.1 and represents a critical security flaw in the Internet Key Exchange protocol implementation. This weakness enables remote attackers to exploit the IKE processing mechanism through carefully crafted response packets that manipulate specific fields within the IKE protocol structure. The vulnerability operates at the network layer where IKE messages are processed, specifically targeting the Security Parameter Index field, payload count, and payload length parameters that are fundamental components of the IKE protocol used for establishing secure communications between network entities.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the SonicWALL firmware fails to properly validate incoming IKE response packets, particularly when these packets contain malformed or excessively large values in their Security Parameter Index field, contain an excessive number of payloads, or include payloads that exceed normal length parameters. This improper input validation creates buffer overflow conditions or memory corruption scenarios that can lead to system instability. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow conditions, both of which are common in protocol parsing implementations where input length is not properly constrained.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as it may potentially allow remote code execution on affected SonicWALL devices. When attackers craft malicious IKE packets with oversized SPI fields, excessive payload counts, or overly long payload data, the firmware's processing routines can become overwhelmed or corrupted, leading to system crashes that manifest as denial of service. However, the more severe implications arise when these buffer overflows are carefully constructed to overwrite critical memory locations, potentially enabling attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code on the target system. This represents a significant escalation from basic denial of service to full system compromise, particularly when the firewall is operating in environments where it processes untrusted network traffic.
From an attack perspective, this vulnerability follows patterns consistent with the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and execution techniques, specifically targeting the network infrastructure components that are critical to secure communications. The attack surface is particularly concerning because SonicWALL firewalls are deployed in enterprise environments where they serve as gateways for secure remote access and site-to-site VPN connections, making them attractive targets for adversaries seeking persistent access to network infrastructure. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability without requiring physical access to the device or direct network credentials, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on these security appliances for network protection.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including firmware updates to version 6.4.0.1 or later, which contain patches specifically addressing the buffer overflow conditions in IKE packet processing. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit exposure of SonicWALL devices to untrusted networks, while implementing monitoring for unusual IKE traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems with signatures specifically targeting the crafted IKE packets that trigger this vulnerability. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the updated firmware in controlled environments before deployment to production networks to ensure that the patch does not introduce compatibility issues with existing VPN configurations or network protocols.