CVE-2006-2224 in Routing Software Suite
Summary
by MITRE
RIPd in Quagga 0.98 and 0.99 before 20060503 does not properly enforce RIPv2 authentication requirements, which allows remote attackers to modify routing state via RIPv1 RESPONSE packets.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-2224 affects the Routing Information Protocol daemon within Quagga routing software versions 0.98 and 0.99 prior to the 20060503 release. This issue represents a critical security flaw in network routing protocols that impacts the integrity and authenticity of routing information exchange. The vulnerability specifically targets the RIPv2 authentication mechanisms that should prevent unauthorized modifications to routing tables, creating a significant risk for network infrastructure that relies on proper authentication controls.
The technical flaw stems from the improper enforcement of RIPv2 authentication requirements within the RIPd component of Quagga. When processing RIPv1 RESPONSE packets, the daemon fails to validate the authentication credentials that should be present in RIPv2 packets, allowing attackers to bypass security measures designed to protect routing information. This authentication bypass occurs because the system does not properly distinguish between different packet types or enforce the appropriate security checks for each protocol variant. The vulnerability creates a condition where malicious actors can inject false routing information into the network without proper authentication, effectively undermining the security model that routing protocols are designed to maintain.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple network disruption to potentially enable sophisticated attacks such as route injection, traffic redirection, and network partitioning. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability can modify routing state in real-time, causing network traffic to be misrouted through malicious nodes or creating denial of service conditions by manipulating routing tables. This capability aligns with attack patterns described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under network infiltration and privilege escalation techniques, where adversaries seek to manipulate network infrastructure to gain unauthorized access or control. The vulnerability particularly affects networks that rely on RIPv2 authentication for securing routing communications, making them susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks and routing table poisoning scenarios.
The security implications of this vulnerability are significant given that it operates at the core networking layer where routing decisions are made. Networks using affected Quagga versions become vulnerable to unauthorized modifications that can propagate throughout the network, potentially affecting thousands of devices depending on the routing topology. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in proper input validation and authentication enforcement, which aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and CWE-310 (Cryptographic Issues) classifications. Organizations running these vulnerable versions face increased risk of network compromise, data interception, and service disruption, as the authentication mechanism that should protect routing integrity becomes ineffective against properly crafted malicious packets.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-2224 require immediate deployment of updated Quagga versions that include proper authentication enforcement for RIPv2 packets. Network administrators should implement additional monitoring controls to detect anomalous routing behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, as well as consider disabling RIPv1 RESPONSE packet processing when RIPv2 authentication is required. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing proper network segmentation to limit the impact of potential exploitation. Organizations should also review their routing protocol configurations to ensure that authentication mechanisms are properly enforced and that network monitoring systems are capable of detecting unauthorized routing table modifications that could indicate successful exploitation of this vulnerability.