CVE-2004-2230 in OpenBSD
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in isakmpd on OpenBSD 3.4 through 3.6 allows local users to cause a denial of service (panic) and corrupt memory via IPSEC credentials on a socket.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2230 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow flaw within the isakmpd daemon of OpenBSD versions 3.4 through 3.6. This issue resides in the Internet Protocol Security key management protocol implementation that handles IPSEC credentials during socket operations. The vulnerability specifically affects the ISAKMP daemon which is responsible for managing IKE (Internet Key Exchange) protocol communications and establishing secure connections between network entities. The flaw manifests when the daemon processes IPSEC credentials received through socket communications, creating a dangerous condition where memory corruption can occur.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves a heap-based buffer overflow that occurs during the processing of IPSEC credentials within the isakmpd service. When maliciously crafted IPSEC credentials are sent through a socket to the vulnerable daemon, the insufficient bounds checking allows data to overflow into adjacent heap memory regions. This overflow condition results in memory corruption that can trigger system panics and complete denial of service conditions. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a heap-based buffer overflow, which represents a fundamental memory safety issue where the heap memory management structure becomes compromised due to improper buffer boundary validation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to systems running affected OpenBSD versions as local users can exploit it to cause system instability and complete service disruption. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service to include potential memory corruption that could allow for more sophisticated attacks depending on the system configuration and available privileges. The vulnerability affects the core security infrastructure components of the operating system, as isakmpd is essential for IPSEC functionality and secure communications. Systems utilizing IPSEC for network security would be particularly vulnerable since the attack vector involves legitimate credential processing operations.
The attack surface for this vulnerability is primarily limited to local users who can establish socket connections to the isakmpd service, but the potential for escalation exists in environments where privilege levels might be elevated through other means. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management in security-critical system components. Organizations should consider implementing immediate mitigations such as updating to patched OpenBSD versions, disabling unnecessary IPSEC functionality, or implementing network segmentation to limit access to affected services. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this issue under privilege escalation and denial of service tactics, with potential for system compromise if exploited further. Given the nature of heap corruption vulnerabilities, additional defensive measures including memory protection mechanisms and runtime monitoring should be considered as part of comprehensive security hardening strategies.