CVE-2004-1749 in Attack Mitigator
Summary
by MITRE
Attack Mitigator IPS 5500 3.11.008, and possibly other versions, when configured in a one-armed routing configuration, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via a large number of HTTP requests.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-1749 affects the Attack Mitigator IPS 5500 series version 3.11.008 and potentially other versions when deployed in one-armed routing configurations. This represents a significant security weakness that can be exploited to perform denial of service attacks against network infrastructure. The vulnerability specifically targets the processing of HTTP requests within the intrusion prevention system's architecture, where an attacker can overwhelm the system's CPU resources through a high volume of malicious requests.
The technical flaw stems from the improper handling of HTTP traffic in one-armed routing mode, which is a common network configuration where a single interface serves both as the source and destination for traffic flow. In this setup, the IPS device must process traffic that is being routed through it, creating a complex processing scenario where the system fails to properly rate-limit or filter incoming HTTP requests. The vulnerability manifests when the system receives an excessive number of HTTP requests in quick succession, causing the CPU utilization to spike dramatically and ultimately leading to system performance degradation or complete service interruption.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring authentication or privileged access. This makes the attack vector particularly dangerous because it can be executed from anywhere on the network, potentially allowing attackers to bring down critical network security infrastructure. The one-armed routing configuration amplifies the risk because it creates a single point of failure where the IPS system becomes the bottleneck for all network traffic, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to disrupt network operations. According to CWE-400, this vulnerability relates to an uncontrolled resource consumption issue where the system fails to properly manage its computational resources.
The attack pattern aligns with several techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to denial of service and resource exhaustion. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform sustained attacks that consume system resources, effectively rendering the IPS device ineffective in protecting the network from other threats. The attack requires minimal sophistication and can be automated, making it accessible to a wide range of threat actors. Network administrators who deploy these devices in one-armed routing configurations face particular risk because the vulnerability is not easily detectable through normal monitoring and can be exploited without alerting security systems to the ongoing attack.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper rate limiting and traffic filtering mechanisms to prevent the exploitation of this vulnerability. Network administrators should consider upgrading to patched versions of the Attack Mitigator software or implementing additional network segmentation to isolate the affected devices. The configuration should be reviewed to ensure that one-armed routing is properly implemented with adequate resource allocation and monitoring capabilities. Security controls should include monitoring for unusual CPU utilization patterns and implementing automated alerts when resource consumption exceeds normal thresholds. Organizations should also consider implementing network access controls to limit the sources of HTTP traffic that can reach the vulnerable IPS devices, reducing the attack surface and preventing unauthorized access to the system's processing capabilities.