CVE-2004-0365 in Ethereal
Summary
by MITRE
The dissect_attribute_value_pairs function in packet-radius.c for Ethereal 0.8.13 to 0.10.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a malformed RADIUS packet that triggers a null dereference.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0365 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting Ethereal network protocol analyzer versions 0.8.13 through 0.10.2. This issue manifests within the dissect_attribute_value_pairs function located in the packet-radius.c file, which is responsible for parsing RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) protocol packets. The vulnerability arises from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly handle malformed RADIUS packets, creating a condition where a specially crafted packet can trigger unexpected behavior in the network analysis tool.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a remote attacker sends a malformed RADIUS packet to a system running the affected Ethereal version. The dissect_attribute_value_pairs function attempts to process the attribute value pairs within the RADIUS packet without sufficient null pointer checks, leading to a null dereference condition. This type of memory access violation causes the Ethereal application to crash and terminate unexpectedly, effectively rendering the network monitoring capabilities unavailable. The vulnerability specifically maps to CWE-476 which describes NULL Pointer Dereference, a common software flaw that occurs when a program attempts to access memory through a null pointer reference. The flaw demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where the application fails to validate input data before attempting to dereference pointers.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-0365 extends beyond simple service disruption as it can severely compromise network monitoring operations in environments where Ethereal is deployed for security analysis and network troubleshooting. Organizations relying on this tool for real-time network traffic analysis face potential security gaps when the application crashes, leaving network administrators without crucial visibility into network activities. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous in network environments where untrusted traffic flows through monitoring systems. This flaw directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1498 which describes denial of service attacks, and can be categorized under the broader category of application-level attacks that target protocol analyzers and network security tools. The vulnerability essentially creates a vector through which attackers can disrupt network monitoring operations, potentially masking other malicious activities while simultaneously degrading security infrastructure capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate patching of affected Ethereal installations to versions that contain proper input validation and null pointer checks. System administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of monitoring systems to untrusted networks, while also deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious RADIUS packet patterns. The fix typically involves adding comprehensive input validation routines before pointer dereference operations, ensuring that all attribute value pairs in RADIUS packets are properly validated and sanitized. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing redundant monitoring solutions and establishing incident response procedures specifically designed to handle application crashes in network security tools. Network administrators should also regularly update and patch all network monitoring and security tools to prevent similar vulnerabilities from compromising operational security.