CVE-2005-1928 in ServerProtect EarthAgent
Summary
by MITRE
Trend Micro ServerProtect EarthAgent for Windows Management Console 5.58 and possibly earlier versions, when running with Trend Micro Control Manager 2.5 and 3.0, and Damage Cleanup Server 1.1, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via a flood of crafted packets with a certain "magic value" to port 5005, which also leads to a memory leak.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1928 represents a critical denial of service weakness in Trend Micro ServerProtect EarthAgent for Windows Management Console version 5.58 and earlier releases. This flaw specifically affects systems operating with Trend Micro Control Manager 2.5 and 3.0, along with Damage Cleanup Server 1.1, creating a significant operational risk for enterprise environments relying on these security solutions. The vulnerability manifests through a sophisticated packet flooding attack that targets port 5005, exploiting a specific "magic value" that triggers abnormal system behavior.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the EarthAgent component's insufficient input validation mechanisms when processing network traffic on port 5005. When remote attackers send crafted packets containing the designated magic value, the system enters a state of excessive CPU utilization as it attempts to process these malformed inputs. This condition creates a resource exhaustion scenario where the system's processing capabilities become overwhelmed, effectively rendering the service unavailable to legitimate users. The vulnerability also introduces memory leak characteristics, where allocated memory segments are not properly released during the processing of these malicious packets, leading to progressive system degradation over time.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe threat to enterprise network security infrastructure as it can be exploited remotely without authentication requirements, making it particularly dangerous for systems exposed to external networks. The sustained CPU consumption can lead to complete service outages, disrupting critical security monitoring functions and potentially creating windows of vulnerability for other attacks. Organizations relying on Trend Micro ServerProtect for network protection face significant risk of operational disruption, as the affected systems become unable to perform their intended security functions. The memory leak component compounds the issue by gradually consuming available system resources, potentially leading to system crashes or requiring frequent restarts to restore normal operation.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes the issue as an Uncontrolled Resource Consumption or 'Resource Exhaustion' vulnerability, specifically manifesting as a denial of service condition. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this represents a Network Denial of Service technique that can be classified under T1498, which involves disrupting availability of systems and services. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it operates at the network layer, allowing attackers to exploit the vulnerability from remote locations without requiring physical access or elevated privileges. Organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate affected systems, deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for the specific packet patterns associated with this attack, and establish robust patch management processes to ensure timely remediation. Additionally, monitoring for unusual CPU utilization patterns and memory consumption trends can provide early detection of exploitation attempts, enabling rapid response to prevent complete service disruption.
The remediation approach requires immediate deployment of vendor-provided patches or updates addressing the input validation deficiencies in the EarthAgent component. System administrators should also consider implementing network access controls to restrict access to port 5005 from untrusted networks, while establishing monitoring protocols to detect and alert on anomalous traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify other potential vulnerabilities in the Trend Micro ecosystem and ensure comprehensive protection against similar attack vectors.