CVE-2007-3157 in Softremote VPN Client
Summary
by MITRE
IPSecDrv.sys 10.4.0.12 in SafeNET High Assurance Remote 1.4.0 Build 12, and SoftRemote, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop and system hang) via an invalid packet with certain bytes in an option header, possibly related to the IPv6 support for IPSec.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-3157 represents a critical denial of service weakness within the IPSecDrv.sys kernel driver component of SafeNET High Assurance Remote 1.4.0 Build 12 and SoftRemote software products. This flaw exists in the handling of IPv6 packets within the IPSec implementation, specifically when processing option headers containing malformed data. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling mechanisms within the kernel-level driver responsible for IPSec protocol processing, creating a condition where legitimate network traffic can trigger abnormal system behavior.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the IPSecDrv.sys driver failing to properly validate the structure and content of IPv6 option headers during packet processing. When an attacker crafts a malicious packet with specific byte patterns in the option header fields, the driver enters an infinite loop during the parsing and validation process. This occurs because the driver's packet processing routine does not implement proper bounds checking or state validation before proceeding with complex parsing operations on the malformed data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it operates at the kernel level, where such flaws can lead to complete system hang conditions that are extremely difficult to recover from without manual intervention.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromising the availability of critical network infrastructure. Organizations relying on SafeNET High Assurance Remote or SoftRemote for secure remote access may face unexpected system downtime when malicious actors exploit this weakness. The infinite loop condition can cause sustained system resource exhaustion, leading to complete system unresponsiveness that requires manual rebooting of affected systems. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where continuous availability is critical, such as government networks, financial institutions, or industrial control systems. The vulnerability affects the core IPSec functionality that provides secure communication channels, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to disrupt network operations.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input boundaries, and CWE-691, concerning insufficient control flow protection. The flaw demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where the driver fails to implement adequate input sanitization and control flow management. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a denial of service technique under the T1499 sub-technique, where adversaries exploit software weaknesses to prevent system availability. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate affected systems, deploying packet filtering rules to block malformed IPv6 traffic, and applying vendor-supplied patches once available. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust kernel-level input validation and the need for comprehensive security testing of network protocol implementations to prevent such control flow anomalies that can be exploited remotely without authentication.
The broader implications of this vulnerability demonstrate the critical nature of kernel-level security in network infrastructure components. Given that IPSec is fundamental to secure communications, flaws in its implementation can create cascading effects throughout network security architectures. System administrators must consider this vulnerability as part of comprehensive network security assessments and ensure proper monitoring for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing proper network access controls to limit exposure to such attacks. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their network security infrastructure to identify similar weaknesses in other protocol implementations and ensure proper incident response procedures are in place to handle potential exploitation attempts.