CVE-2004-0222 in OpenBSD
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple memory leaks in isakmpd in OpenBSD 3.4 and earlier allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory exhaustion) via certain ISAKMP packets, as demonstrated by the Striker ISAKMP Protocol Test Suite.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/19/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0222 represents a critical memory management flaw within the isakmpd daemon of OpenBSD versions 3.4 and earlier. This daemon serves as the Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP) implementation responsible for establishing secure communication channels through IPsec. The issue stems from inadequate memory allocation handling when processing certain ISAKMP packets, creating a condition where memory resources can be systematically consumed without proper cleanup. This flaw specifically targets the IKE (Internet Key Exchange) protocol implementation that forms the foundation of IPsec security associations, making it particularly dangerous for network infrastructure security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through malformed ISAKMP packets that trigger memory allocation without subsequent deallocation, leading to progressive memory consumption over time. When the isakmpd daemon receives specially crafted packets containing malformed payloads or unexpected packet structures, it fails to properly handle the memory allocation requests and does not release allocated memory blocks back to the system. This results in a gradual degradation of system resources until the memory pool becomes exhausted, ultimately causing the daemon to crash or become unresponsive. The vulnerability is particularly insidious because it requires only a single malicious packet to initiate the memory leak process, making it highly effective for denial of service attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-0222 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise the entire security infrastructure that relies on IPsec connectivity. Network administrators responsible for maintaining secure communications channels may find their systems becoming increasingly unstable over time, with no indication of the underlying memory exhaustion issue. The vulnerability affects systems running OpenBSD 3.4 and earlier versions, which were widely deployed in enterprise environments for their robust security features and BSD-based architecture. When exploited, this vulnerability can render network security services unusable, potentially exposing networks to unauthorized access while simultaneously preventing legitimate security protocols from functioning properly.
The remediation for this vulnerability requires immediate patching of the affected OpenBSD systems to version 3.5 or later, where the memory management issues have been addressed through improved allocation and deallocation routines. System administrators should also implement network monitoring solutions to detect unusual memory consumption patterns and consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed ISAKMP packets. Additionally, network segmentation strategies can help limit the impact of such attacks by isolating critical security infrastructure from potentially compromised network segments. Organizations should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify other potential memory management issues within their security infrastructure, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper resource handling in security-critical applications.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-401, which describes improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation, and represents a classic example of how protocol implementation flaws can lead to denial of service conditions. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to network denial of service and the T1595.001 technique involving network infrastructure manipulation, highlighting the broader implications for network security posture and infrastructure resilience. The vulnerability serves as a critical reminder of the importance of proper memory management in security protocols and the need for comprehensive testing of protocol implementations against various malformed input scenarios.