CVE-2005-0470 in wpa_supplicant
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in wpa_supplicant before 0.2.7 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (segmentation fault) via invalid EAPOL-Key packet data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/01/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-0470 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the wpa_supplicant wireless network authentication daemon version 0.2.6 and earlier. This issue specifically affects the processing of EAPOL-Key packets which are fundamental components of the IEEE 802.1X authentication framework used in wireless networks. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation when handling malformed EAPOL-Key data packets, creating a condition where an attacker can exploit the software's memory management to trigger a segmentation fault. This particular flaw exists within the wireless security infrastructure that protects enterprise and consumer wireless networks, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring physical access to the network.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow occurs during the parsing of EAPOL-Key packets which are transmitted during the 802.1X authentication process. When wpa_supplicant receives an invalid EAPOL-Key packet, it fails to properly validate the packet length or structure before attempting to copy data into fixed-size buffers. This classic buffer overflow vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The flaw is particularly insidious because EAPOL-Key packets are part of the standard authentication handshake that occurs when wireless clients attempt to connect to protected networks, making the attack surface accessible to anyone within wireless range of the affected access point.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can be leveraged to potentially crash the wpa_supplicant process and disrupt wireless network connectivity for legitimate users. When the segmentation fault occurs, the daemon terminates abruptly and requires manual restart or system reboot to restore normal wireless authentication functionality. This disruption can be particularly severe in enterprise environments where wireless connectivity is critical for business operations, potentially causing widespread productivity loss and requiring immediate administrative intervention. The vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in network security protocols, as the flaw exists in the fundamental packet processing logic that handles authentication traffic.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected wpa_supplicant installations to version 0.2.7 or later, which contains the necessary code modifications to properly validate EAPOL-Key packet data before processing. Network administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual authentication traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix implemented in the patched versions involves enhanced bounds checking and proper validation of packet lengths to prevent buffer overflows during EAPOL-Key processing. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1499.001 which covers network denial of service attacks, and represents a critical weakness in the wireless network infrastructure that can be exploited by adversaries to gain control over network access. Organizations should also consider implementing additional network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of such attacks, particularly in environments where wireless infrastructure is critical to operations.