CVE-2013-1795 in OpenAFS
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in ptserver in OpenAFS before 1.6.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a large list from the IdToName RPC, which triggers a heap-based buffer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1795 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the ptserver component of OpenAFS version 1.6.1 and earlier. This issue manifests specifically during processing of the IdToName Remote Procedure Call which is fundamental to the authentication and authorization mechanisms within the OpenAFS distributed file system. The flaw enables remote attackers to craft malicious requests that exploit the integer overflow condition, ultimately leading to system instability and potential service disruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the ptserver daemon where it processes user identifiers during the IdToName RPC execution. When a large list of identifiers is submitted through this interface, the system fails to properly validate the size parameters before performing arithmetic operations that result in integer overflow. This overflow condition subsequently propagates into a heap-based buffer overflow scenario where memory allocation calculations become corrupted, allowing attackers to manipulate memory layout and potentially execute arbitrary code or cause system crashes.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-1795 extends beyond simple denial of service as it represents a foundational weakness in the authentication infrastructure of OpenAFS systems. Organizations relying on OpenAFS for distributed file services face significant risks including unauthorized access attempts, service interruptions, and potential data exposure through system compromise. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where OpenAFS serves as a critical authentication backend for large-scale enterprise networks or research institutions where continuous availability is paramount.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-190 which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions and CWE-121 which covers stack-based buffer overflow scenarios. The attack vector follows patterns consistent with ATT&CK technique T1210 which involves exploitation of vulnerabilities in software components to achieve system compromise. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this flaw without requiring local system access, making it particularly dangerous for networked environments. Organizations should implement immediate patching strategies targeting OpenAFS versions prior to 1.6.2 while also considering network segmentation and monitoring for anomalous RPC traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix implemented in OpenAFS 1.6.2 includes proper input validation and integer overflow protection mechanisms that prevent the malicious list sizes from triggering the buffer overflow conditions.