CVE-2005-2050 in Tor
Summary
by MITRE
Unknown vulnerability in Tor before 0.1.0.10 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary memory and possibly key information from the exit server s process space.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/05/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2050 represents a critical security flaw in the Tor anonymity network prior to version 0.1.0.10. This vulnerability resides in the exit server component of the Tor infrastructure, which serves as the final relay in the anonymization chain where traffic exits the network into the public internet. The flaw allows remote attackers to potentially access arbitrary memory locations and extract sensitive information including cryptographic keys from the process space of exit servers. Such a vulnerability fundamentally undermines the core security promise of Tor by exposing the underlying system to memory disclosure attacks.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate memory management and access controls within the Tor client implementation. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform memory reads that bypass normal security boundaries, potentially accessing not only general memory contents but also cryptographic material that could compromise the integrity of the anonymity system. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient input validation and memory access restrictions that allow remote entities to manipulate memory access patterns and extract confidential data from the running Tor processes. This type of flaw aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities, and CWE-200, which covers information exposure.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-2050 is severe and multifaceted within the Tor ecosystem. Remote attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can potentially extract cryptographic keys used for authentication and encryption, which could lead to complete compromise of the exit server's security posture. The exposure of key material would allow adversaries to impersonate legitimate Tor nodes, potentially intercepting and modifying traffic passing through the compromised exit relay. Additionally, the ability to read arbitrary memory locations could reveal sensitive operational data including user connection patterns, network topology information, and other confidential data that would undermine the anonymity guarantees provided by the Tor network.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate deployment of Tor version 0.1.0.10 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the memory access control issues. Network administrators should also implement additional monitoring and detection mechanisms to identify potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include thorough security audits of Tor installations and verification of proper memory management implementations. Organizations using Tor for sensitive communications should consider implementing additional security layers and regularly updating their Tor client installations to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date anonymity infrastructure and highlights the critical need for proper memory access controls in security-sensitive applications. The attack surface for such vulnerabilities extends beyond simple memory disclosure to include potential credential compromise and system infiltration, making prompt remediation essential for maintaining the security of the Tor network and its users.