CVE-2013-5385 in IBM
Summary
by MITRE
The OSPF implementation in IBM i 6.1 and 7.1, in z/OS on zSeries servers, and in Networking Operating System (aka NOS, formerly BLADE Operating System) does not properly validate Link State Advertisement (LSA) type 1 packets before performing operations on the LSA database, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (routing disruption) or obtain sensitive packet information via a crafted LSA packet, a related issue to CVE-2013-0149.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5385 represents a critical flaw in the Open Shortest Path First routing protocol implementation across multiple IBM networking platforms including IBM i 6.1 and 7.1, z/OS on zSeries servers, and the Networking Operating System formerly known as BLADE Operating System. This issue specifically targets the handling of Link State Advertisement type 1 packets within the OSPF routing database management system, creating a significant security risk that affects network infrastructure reliability and data integrity. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize or verify the legitimacy of received LSA packets before processing them within the routing database.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient validation of Link State Advertisement type 1 packets within the OSPF implementation, which operates under the framework of CWE-20 - Improper Input Validation. When the system receives a crafted LSA packet, it does not adequately validate the packet structure, content, or origin before executing database operations, leading to potential exploitation scenarios. This weakness allows attackers to manipulate the routing protocol behavior through malicious packet construction, potentially causing the routing database to process invalid or malformed data entries. The vulnerability specifically affects the OSPF database synchronization process where type 1 packets are used to describe router link states and maintain network topology information across the routing domain.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-5385 manifests as both denial of service conditions and information disclosure risks within affected network environments. Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability to disrupt routing operations by injecting malicious LSA packets that cause routing table inconsistencies, leading to network partitioning or complete routing failures. Additionally, the improper validation allows attackers to potentially extract sensitive routing information from the LSA database, as the system may inadvertently expose internal routing state information through malformed packet processing. This disruption directly impacts network availability and can result in extended downtime for critical infrastructure components that rely on stable routing protocols. The vulnerability's relationship to CVE-2013-0149 demonstrates a pattern of similar weaknesses in IBM's OSPF implementations, suggesting systemic validation issues within the routing protocol stack.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate critical routing components, deployment of packet filtering rules to prevent unauthorized LSA packet injection, and implementation of monitoring systems to detect anomalous routing behavior. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1498 - Network Denial of Service and T1566 - Phishing, as attackers may leverage the routing disruption to create network conditions that facilitate further attacks. System administrators should also consider applying vendor-provided patches and updates, implementing strict access controls for OSPF neighbor relationships, and configuring route summarization to limit the impact of malicious LSA packet propagation. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation in network protocol implementations and demonstrates how seemingly minor validation gaps can result in significant operational disruptions across enterprise network infrastructure.