CVE-2013-0281 in Pacemaker
Summary
by MITRE
Pacemaker 1.1.10, when remote Cluster Information Base (CIB) configuration or resource management is enabled, does not limit the duration of connections to the blocking sockets, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (connection blocking).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0281 affects Pacemaker version 1.1.10, a critical component in high-availability clustering environments that manages cluster resources and configuration. This flaw resides in the Cluster Information Base (CIB) subsystem, which serves as the central repository for all cluster configuration data and resource states. When remote CIB configuration or resource management features are enabled, the system creates blocking socket connections that remain open indefinitely without proper timeout mechanisms. The root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate connection management practices within the Pacemaker daemon, specifically in how it handles network socket lifecycle management. This design flaw creates a persistent state where socket connections can remain active for extended periods, potentially indefinitely, without automatic termination or resource cleanup. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-400 as an Uncontrolled Resource Consumption, specifically manifesting as a resource leak that can be exploited to exhaust available connection slots.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and directly translates to a denial of service condition that can completely compromise cluster availability. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness by establishing multiple persistent connections to the Pacemaker service, causing the system to exhaust its available socket connections and prevent legitimate administrative or operational activities. This connection blocking scenario prevents cluster members from communicating effectively, potentially leading to split-brain conditions or complete cluster failure. The vulnerability affects the fundamental operational integrity of high-availability systems, as the cluster cannot maintain proper quorum or resource coordination when connection resources are exhausted. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service, where adversaries leverage resource exhaustion to disrupt system availability. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the entire high-availability infrastructure, as cluster nodes may fail to synchronize configuration changes or respond to resource failures appropriately.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-0281 require immediate implementation of connection timeout policies and resource management improvements within the Pacemaker configuration. System administrators should implement explicit socket timeout values in the Pacemaker configuration files, typically through the use of connection timeout parameters or by configuring the underlying operating system network timeouts. The most effective immediate solution involves upgrading to a patched version of Pacemaker that includes proper connection lifecycle management and automatic socket cleanup mechanisms. Network-level mitigations include implementing firewall rules that limit concurrent connections from specific IP addresses and configuring rate limiting on the cluster communication ports. Additionally, monitoring systems should be deployed to track socket connection counts and alert administrators when thresholds are approached, enabling proactive intervention before resource exhaustion occurs. The remediation process should also include implementing proper resource cleanup procedures and ensuring that the system maintains adequate connection limits to prevent exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing redundant monitoring and alerting systems to detect unusual connection patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, as this vulnerability can be used as part of broader attack campaigns targeting high-availability infrastructure.