CVE-2004-0469 in VPN-1
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the ISAKMP functionality for Check Point VPN-1 and FireWall-1 NG products, before VPN-1/FireWall-1 R55 HFA-03, R54 HFA-410 and NG FP3 HFA-325, or VPN-1 SecuRemote/SecureClient R56, may allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code during VPN tunnel negotiation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/28/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0469 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP) implementation of Check Point's VPN-1 and FireWall-1 NG security products. This weakness specifically affects versions prior to VPN-1/FireWall-1 R55 HFA-03, R54 HFA-410, NG FP3 HFA-325, and VPN-1 SecuRemote/SecureClient R56, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these legacy systems for network protection. The vulnerability resides in the handling of ISAKMP messages during the initial phase of VPN tunnel establishment, where insufficient input validation allows malicious actors to craft specially crafted packets that trigger memory corruption.
The technical exploitation of this buffer overflow occurs when the vulnerable software processes incoming ISAKMP messages during the negotiation phase of IPsec VPN connections. When an attacker sends a malformed ISAKMP packet containing excessive data in a specific field, the software fails to properly validate the input length before copying it into a fixed-size buffer. This classic buffer overflow condition allows an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially including return addresses and function pointers, thereby enabling arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected service process. The vulnerability specifically maps to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and can be classified under the broader category of CWE-787, representing out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it provides attackers with a pathway to compromise entire network security infrastructures. Organizations using affected Check Point products face the risk of unauthorized access to their protected networks, potential data exfiltration, and the ability to establish persistent backdoors through the compromised VPN gateway. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it operates during the initial tunnel negotiation phase, meaning that any entity attempting to establish a legitimate VPN connection could potentially trigger the vulnerability. This makes the exploitation particularly stealthy and difficult to detect, as it occurs during normal network operations and can be initiated by anyone who can reach the vulnerable system.
Security professionals should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of available patches from Check Point, specifically targeting the mentioned versions and their respective hotfixes. The mitigation strategy should include network segmentation to limit exposure, implementing additional monitoring for unusual ISAKMP traffic patterns, and conducting thorough vulnerability assessments of all network infrastructure components. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems capable of identifying malformed ISAKMP packets and establishing network access controls to restrict VPN connectivity to trusted sources only. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004, which covers application layer protocol: dns, and demonstrates how network protocol vulnerabilities can be exploited for lateral movement and privilege escalation within protected environments. Given the age of the affected products and the potential for persistent compromise, comprehensive network security audits should be conducted to identify any other vulnerable systems that might be utilizing similar ISAKMP implementations.