CVE-2005-3670 in Tru64
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in the Internet Key Exchange version 1 (IKEv1) implementation in HP HP-UX B.11.00, B.11.11, and B.11.23 running IPSec, HP Jetdirect 635n IPv6/IPsec Print Server, and HP Tru64 UNIX 5.1B-3 and 5.1B-2/PK4, allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service via certain IKE packets, as demonstrated by the PROTOS ISAKMP Test Suite for IKEv1. NOTE: due to the lack of details in the HP advisory, it is unclear which of CVE-2005-3666, CVE-2005-3667, and/or CVE-2005-3668 this issue applies to.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/17/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-3670 represents a critical security flaw within the Internet Key Exchange version 1 implementation across multiple HP operating systems and network devices. This issue affects HP-UX systems running versions B.11.00, B.11.11, and B.11.23 along with IPSec functionality, HP Jetdirect 635n IPv6/IPsec Print Server, and HP Tru64 UNIX versions 5.1B-3 and 5.1B-2/PK4. The vulnerability manifests through specially crafted IKE packets that can trigger denial of service conditions, fundamentally compromising the availability of security services that rely on IPSec for network protection.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and error handling within the IKEv1 protocol implementation. When remote attackers send malformed or specially constructed IKE packets to affected systems, the implementation fails to properly process these packets, leading to system instability and potential system crashes or service interruptions. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-248, Unhandled Exception, or CWE-129, Improper Validation of Array Index, as the system does not adequately validate incoming packet structures before processing them. The lack of specific details in the original HP advisory makes it difficult to definitively categorize this vulnerability against the other related CVEs mentioned, but the core issue involves protocol-level parsing failures that can be exploited for denial of service attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption, as it affects the fundamental security infrastructure of affected systems. Network administrators responsible for maintaining IPSec-based security services face significant risks when these systems become unavailable due to crafted IKE packets. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where IPSec is critical for secure communications, such as corporate networks, government systems, or any infrastructure relying on IKEv1 for key exchange and security association establishment. The demonstration using the PROTOS ISAKMP Test Suite for IKEv1 indicates that this vulnerability can be reliably exploited through standard testing tools, making it a significant concern for organizations with exposed IPSec implementations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate affected systems from untrusted networks, implementing firewall rules to restrict IKE traffic to trusted sources only, and applying available patches from HP as they become available. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, Network Denial of Service, and represents a classic example of how protocol implementation flaws can create widespread availability issues. System administrators should also consider monitoring network traffic for unusual IKE packet patterns and implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on malformed IKE packets. Given the age of the affected systems and the nature of the vulnerability, organizations should evaluate their overall IPSec implementation strategy and consider migrating to more robust implementations such as IKEv2 where available, as this vulnerability demonstrates the inherent risks of older protocol versions that may contain unpatched security flaws.