CVE-2005-3674 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
The Internet Key Exchange version 1 (IKEv1) implementation in the libike library in Sun Solaris 9 and 10 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (in.iked crash) via certain crafted IKE packets, as demonstrated by the PROTOS ISAKMP Test Suite for IKEv1. NOTE: due to the lack of details in the advisory, it is unclear which of CVE-2005-3666, CVE-2005-3667, and/or CVE-2005-3668 this issue applies to.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-3674 represents a critical denial of service weakness within the Internet Key Exchange version 1 implementation of Sun Solaris operating systems. This flaw exists within the libike library component that handles IKEv1 protocol operations, specifically affecting Solaris 9 and 10 versions. The issue manifests when the in.iked daemon processes malformed IKE packets that are crafted to exploit specific implementation gaps in the key exchange mechanism. The vulnerability operates at the network protocol level where legitimate IKE traffic is processed, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered remotely without requiring authentication or privileged access. The PROTOS ISAKMP Test Suite for IKEv1 serves as the demonstration tool that validates this exploit, indicating that the attack vector is well-documented and reproducible.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the IKEv1 processing code path. When the in.iked service receives specially crafted packets that deviate from expected protocol behavior, the implementation fails to properly handle the malformed data structures, leading to a crash condition that terminates the daemon service. This represents a classic buffer over-read or improper state handling scenario where the protocol parser does not adequately sanitize incoming packets before processing them. The flaw is categorized as a weakness in the protocol implementation rather than a cryptographic vulnerability, though it directly impacts the availability of secure communication services. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which covers improper validation of input boundaries, and CWE-248, which addresses exposure of an exception to an unexpected environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the entire secure communication infrastructure that relies on IKEv1 for establishing encrypted tunnels. When the in.iked daemon crashes, all active and pending IPsec connections are terminated, forcing network administrators to manually restart services and potentially disrupting business-critical applications that depend on secure network communications. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can trigger this denial of service condition from any network location without requiring physical access or network credentials, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network security is paramount. Organizations using Solaris systems for VPN services, secure remote access, or IPsec-based network security would face significant operational disruption if this vulnerability were exploited.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patch application from Sun Microsystems, which would address the underlying implementation flaw in the libike library. Network administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous IKE traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The use of intrusion detection systems specifically configured to identify malformed IKE packets can provide early warning capabilities before a full denial of service occurs. Additionally, organizations should implement redundant IKE services or failover mechanisms to maintain availability during potential exploitation windows. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and T1566.002, which addresses spearphishing with social engineering techniques that might be used to deliver the malicious packets. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and defensive programming practices in security-critical network services.