CVE-2008-4618 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE
The Stream Control Transmission Protocol (sctp) implementation in the Linux kernel before 2.6.27 does not properly handle a protocol violation in which a parameter has an invalid length, which allows attackers to cause a denial of service (panic) via unspecified vectors, related to sctp_sf_violation_paramlen, sctp_sf_abort_violation, sctp_make_abort_violation, and incorrect data types in function calls.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/20/2019
The Stream Control Transmission Protocol implementation in Linux kernel versions prior to 2.6.27 contains a critical vulnerability that stems from improper handling of protocol violations involving parameter length validation. This flaw exists within the sctp_sf_violation_paramlen function and related violation handling mechanisms including sctp_sf_abort_violation and sctp_make_abort_violation. The vulnerability manifests when the protocol encounters a parameter with an invalid length, creating a condition that can trigger a kernel panic and subsequent system crash. The issue arises from incorrect data type handling in function calls that process SCTP protocol violations, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through unspecified vectors that manipulate SCTP packet parameters. This vulnerability represents a fundamental breakdown in the kernel's protocol validation mechanisms, where malformed parameter lengths are not properly sanitized before processing.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts SCTP packets containing parameters with invalid length specifications that fall outside the expected protocol boundaries. The kernel's handling of these violations fails to properly validate parameter lengths before attempting to process them, leading to memory corruption conditions that ultimately result in kernel panics. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-129 Input Validation and CWE-248 Uncontrolled Resource Consumption, as the improper handling of parameter lengths can lead to resource exhaustion and system instability. The vulnerability impacts the kernel's ability to maintain system stability during protocol violation handling, creating a denial of service condition that can be triggered remotely without requiring authentication or special privileges.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-4618 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise entire system availability. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause complete system crashes through kernel panics, requiring manual system reboot and potentially leading to data loss or corruption in systems that do not have proper recovery mechanisms. The vulnerability affects any system running Linux kernel versions before 2.6.27 that utilizes SCTP networking protocols, making it particularly concerning for network infrastructure equipment, telecommunications systems, and any server environments that rely on SCTP for communication. From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 Network Denial of Service, as it provides a means to cause sustained disruption of network services through kernel-level exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability focus primarily on kernel version upgrades to 2.6.27 or later, which contain the necessary patches to properly validate parameter lengths and prevent the kernel panic conditions. System administrators should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual SCTP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and consider implementing firewall rules to restrict SCTP traffic where it is not essential. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in kernel space operations and highlights the critical need for robust protocol violation handling in network stack implementations. Organizations should prioritize patch management for kernel components and implement continuous monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, the vulnerability underscores the necessity of following security best practices such as the principle of least privilege and network segmentation to limit the impact of potential exploitation attempts.