CVE-2004-0183 in tcpdump
Summary
by MITRE
TCPDUMP 3.8.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via ISAKMP packets containing a Delete payload with a large number of SPI s, which causes an out-of-bounds read, as demonstrated by the Striker ISAKMP Protocol Test Suite.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0183 affects TCPDUMP version 3.8.1 and earlier, representing a critical denial of service flaw that can be exploited remotely through specially crafted ISAKMP packets. This vulnerability specifically targets the handling of Delete payloads within ISAKMP protocol implementations, where an attacker can trigger a crash by sending packets containing an excessive number of Security Parameter Indexes. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and boundary checking within the packet parsing logic, creating a scenario where the application attempts to read memory beyond allocated boundaries when processing the malformed Delete payload.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests as an out-of-bounds read condition that occurs during the processing of ISAKMP Delete payloads containing numerous SPI values. When TCPDUMP encounters such malformed packets, the parser fails to properly validate the length and structure of the Delete payload, leading to memory access violations that cause the application to terminate unexpectedly. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 Out-of-bounds Read category, which represents a fundamental flaw in memory management where applications access memory locations beyond their allocated bounds. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered remotely without authentication, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to disrupt network monitoring services that rely on TCPDUMP for packet analysis.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise the integrity of network monitoring infrastructure. When TCPDUMP crashes due to this vulnerability, network administrators lose visibility into network traffic, potentially creating blind spots in security monitoring and incident response capabilities. The attack vector through the Striker ISAKMP Protocol Test Suite demonstrates that this vulnerability can be exploited using legitimate testing tools, highlighting the potential for both malicious actors and security researchers to trigger the flaw. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1498.001 which covers network denial of service attacks, and represents a classic example of how protocol parsing flaws can lead to system instability and availability issues.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-0183 should focus on immediate software updates to versions that address the boundary checking deficiencies in ISAKMP payload processing. Network administrators should implement network segmentation and access control measures to limit exposure to potentially malicious ISAKMP traffic, while also deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify and block suspicious ISAKMP packet patterns. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of input validation and boundary checking in network protocol implementations, particularly for applications that process untrusted network data. Organizations should also consider implementing redundant monitoring solutions to ensure that the failure of a single monitoring tool does not create complete visibility gaps in their network security posture. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should include validation of protocol parsing implementations to identify similar out-of-bounds read conditions that could lead to similar denial of service scenarios.