CVE-2010-2522 in UMIP
Summary
by MITRE
The mipv6 daemon in UMIP 0.4 does not verify that netlink messages originated in the kernel, which allows local users to spoof netlink socket communication via a crafted unicast message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2522 affects the mipv6 daemon component within the UMIP 0.4 implementation, representing a critical security flaw in mobile IPv6 network communication protocols. This issue stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the daemon's netlink socket handling process, creating a pathway for malicious local users to manipulate system behavior through crafted network messages.
The technical flaw manifests in the mipv6 daemon's failure to authenticate the origin of netlink messages, specifically those transmitted via unicast communication channels. Netlink sockets serve as a communication interface between user-space processes and the kernel, typically requiring proper authentication to ensure message integrity and origin verification. The daemon's lack of kernel origin verification creates a trust boundary violation where malicious actors can craft and send spoofed netlink messages that appear to originate from the kernel itself.
This vulnerability operates at the system-level communication interface, leveraging the fundamental trust model that exists between kernel and user-space components in Unix-like operating systems. The daemon's insufficient validation allows attackers to bypass normal security controls that would typically prevent unauthorized modification of routing information or network configuration parameters. The crafted unicast messages can potentially manipulate mobile IPv6 routing decisions, affecting network connectivity and potentially enabling further attack vectors within the mobile networking infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can enable persistent manipulation of mobile IPv6 routing tables and network configuration data. Local attackers with minimal privileges can exploit this weakness to inject malicious routing information, potentially causing network disruption, traffic redirection, or even facilitating more sophisticated attacks such as man-in-the-middle scenarios within mobile IPv6 networks. The vulnerability affects systems implementing UMIP 0.4, which represents a specific implementation of mobile IPv6 protocols that may be deployed in various mobile network environments.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in network communication protocols, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1068, involving local privilege escalation through system-level communication manipulation. The vulnerability represents a classic case of insufficient input validation within kernel-space communication interfaces, where the absence of proper origin verification creates a persistent security weakness. Organizations implementing mobile IPv6 infrastructure should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where mobile network management and routing decisions are critical to overall system functionality.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper message origin verification within the daemon's netlink socket handling code, ensuring that all incoming messages are authenticated against kernel-generated communications. System administrators should consider upgrading to patched versions of UMIP, implementing network monitoring to detect anomalous netlink message patterns, and applying principle of least privilege configurations to limit potential impact. The vulnerability underscores the importance of robust authentication mechanisms in system-level communication protocols and the critical need for proper validation of kernel-originated messages in network management daemons.