CVE-2010-1674 in Quagga
Summary
by MITRE
The extended-community parser in bgpd in Quagga before 0.99.18 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and application crash) via a malformed Extended Communities attribute.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-1674 resides within the bgpd component of Quagga routing software, specifically affecting versions prior to 0.99.18. This issue represents a critical flaw in the extended-community parser that processes BGP Extended Communities attributes, which are essential components in Border Gateway Protocol operations for carrying additional routing information beyond standard BGP attributes. The vulnerability manifests as a NULL pointer dereference condition that occurs when the bgpd daemon encounters malformed Extended Communities attributes during normal BGP session processing.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the extended-community parsing logic. When a remote attacker crafts and injects malformed Extended Communities attributes into BGP messages, the parser fails to properly handle the unexpected data structure, leading to a situation where a NULL pointer is dereferenced during attribute processing. This NULL pointer dereference results in an immediate application crash, effectively causing a denial of service condition that disrupts BGP routing operations and can lead to network instability. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication, making it accessible to any entity capable of establishing BGP sessions with the affected system.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1674 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise network reliability and availability in production environments. When the bgpd daemon crashes due to this vulnerability, it affects the entire BGP routing table processing capabilities of the affected router or switch, potentially causing routing flapping, incomplete route propagation, and service degradation across connected networks. Network operators may experience extended downtime while attempting to recover from the crash, and the vulnerability can be particularly problematic in mission-critical infrastructure where BGP stability is paramount for maintaining network connectivity and service availability. The issue also represents a significant concern for network security operations, as it can be leveraged as part of broader attack campaigns targeting network infrastructure.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-476, which describes NULL pointer dereference conditions, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with the attack pattern described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1499.004 technique for network denial of service. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the patched version of Quagga 0.99.18 or later, implementing network segmentation to limit exposure, and monitoring for suspicious BGP attribute patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing BGP security measures such as BGPsec or Route Origin Authorizations to reduce the attack surface and prevent unauthorized BGP updates from reaching vulnerable systems. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation and proper error handling in network infrastructure software, particularly in components that process external routing information from potentially untrusted sources.