CVE-2013-6450 in Integrated Lights Out Manager
Summary
by MITRE
The DTLS retransmission implementation in OpenSSL 1.0.0 before 1.0.0l and 1.0.1 before 1.0.1f does not properly maintain data structures for digest and encryption contexts, which might allow man-in-the-middle attackers to trigger the use of a different context and cause a denial of service (application crash) by interfering with packet delivery, related to ssl/d1_both.c and ssl/t1_enc.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-6450 represents a critical flaw in OpenSSL's implementation of the Datagram Transport Layer Security protocol, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.0.0l and 1.0.1f. This issue stems from improper handling of data structures during DTLS retransmission operations, creating a pathway for attackers to manipulate the cryptographic context used in secure communications. The vulnerability manifests when an attacker can interfere with packet delivery in a man-in-the-middle scenario, potentially causing applications to crash due to improper context management during the retransmission process.
The technical root cause lies within the ssl/d1_both.c and ssl/t1_enc.c source files where OpenSSL maintains digest and encryption contexts during DTLS handshakes. When retransmission occurs, the implementation fails to properly update or validate the cryptographic context data structures, leading to potential corruption or misuse of these contexts. This improper context handling allows an attacker to exploit the retransmission mechanism by strategically interfering with packet delivery, causing the application to use an incorrect cryptographic context which ultimately results in application crashes and denial of service conditions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to systems relying on OpenSSL for secure communications, particularly those implementing DTLS for protocols such as VoIP, IoT communications, and other real-time applications. The man-in-the-middle attack vector means that any network infrastructure or applications that do not properly secure their DTLS communications could become vulnerable to this attack. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as the application crashes can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks, potentially leading to further exploitation opportunities. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security guarantees of DTLS implementations, undermining the integrity of secure communications channels.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-6450 primarily focus on upgrading affected OpenSSL versions to 1.0.0l or 1.0.1f, which contain the necessary patches to properly handle cryptographic context management during retransmission events. Organizations should also implement network-level protections such as packet filtering and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts, though these measures provide only partial defense given the nature of the vulnerability. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments across all systems using affected OpenSSL versions and implement continuous monitoring for signs of exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing proper network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-248, which addresses "Uncaught Exception" conditions in software implementations, as the improper context handling leads to unhandled exceptions that result in application crashes. The attack pattern corresponds to T1499.004 from the ATT&CK framework, representing "Endpoint Denial of Service" techniques that specifically target application stability through manipulation of cryptographic protocols. The vulnerability also demonstrates characteristics related to T1071.004 for Application Layer Protocol usage, as it exploits the DTLS protocol implementation to achieve its objectives. Organizations should consider implementing comprehensive security patch management programs to address such vulnerabilities promptly and maintain proper version control of cryptographic libraries to prevent similar issues in future deployments.