CVE-2012-3816 in WinRadius
Summary
by MITRE
WinRadius Server 2009 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a long password in an Access-Request packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-3816 affects WinRadius Server 2009, a network access control solution that implements the RADIUS protocol for authentication and authorization services. This vulnerability represents a classic buffer overflow condition that occurs when the server processes Access-Request packets containing excessively long password fields. The flaw exists within the server's input validation mechanisms, specifically in how it handles user credentials during the authentication process. When an attacker submits a malformed Access-Request packet with an abnormally long password string, the server fails to properly validate the input length before processing, leading to memory corruption that ultimately results in application crash and complete service disruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the RADIUS server's authentication handler. The WinRadius Server 2009 software does not enforce reasonable limits on password field lengths in incoming Access-Request packets, allowing malicious actors to craft packets that exceed the allocated buffer space. This condition falls under CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow vulnerabilities, and more specifically aligns with CWE-787, indicating out-of-bounds write operations. The vulnerability operates at the protocol level where the server processes RADIUS packets without proper input sanitization, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or prior access to the system. The attack vector is straightforward and requires only network connectivity to the affected RADIUS server, making it a high-impact vulnerability for network infrastructure security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can be leveraged to create persistent denial of service conditions that compromise network access control. Organizations relying on WinRadius Server 2009 for network authentication face significant risks including unauthorized network access attempts, potential credential harvesting, and complete loss of authentication services. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the RADIUS protocol implementation, which typically handles critical network access decisions such as VPN connections, wireless network authentication, and wired network access control. When exploited successfully, the crash renders the authentication server unavailable, effectively blocking legitimate users from accessing network resources and potentially allowing unauthorized access through bypass mechanisms. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability aspect of the CIA triad and can be classified under ATT&CK technique T1499.1, which describes network denial of service attacks targeting network infrastructure components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-3816 should prioritize immediate patching of the WinRadius Server 2009 software to address the buffer overflow condition. Network administrators should implement strict input validation at the network perimeter using firewalls and intrusion prevention systems to filter out malformed RADIUS packets with unusually long password fields. The implementation of rate limiting and connection throttling can help prevent exploitation attempts from overwhelming the server. Organizations should also consider deploying redundant authentication servers to maintain availability during potential exploitation events. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in RADIUS traffic that might indicate attempted exploitation. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and buffer management in network security infrastructure, emphasizing the need for regular security assessments and vulnerability management processes. Security teams should also implement continuous monitoring for similar buffer overflow conditions in other network services and ensure that all network infrastructure components receive regular security updates and patches to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.