CVE-2013-7309 in EXOS
Summary
by MITRE
The OSPF implementation in Extreme Networks EXOS does not consider the possibility of duplicate Link State ID values in Link State Advertisement (LSA) 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 • 08/18/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-7309 represents a critical flaw in the Open Shortest Path First routing protocol implementation within Extreme Networks EXOS operating systems. This issue specifically affects the handling of Link State Advertisement packets within the OSPF database management system, where the software fails to properly validate or detect duplicate Link State ID values before processing incoming routing information. The flaw exists in the routing protocol implementation that governs how network devices communicate and share topology information to maintain consistent routing tables across the network infrastructure. When an attacker crafts malicious LSA packets containing duplicate Link State IDs, the system's inadequate validation mechanisms can lead to unpredictable behavior in the routing decision process.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of OSPF packet structures where duplicate Link State ID values are embedded within the Link State Advertisement packets. This condition creates a scenario where the routing protocol implementation cannot properly distinguish between legitimate and malicious routing updates, leading to potential data corruption within the routing database. The vulnerability specifically targets the database management operations that occur during LSA processing, where the system performs operations without first verifying that the incoming Link State IDs are unique within the current routing domain. This weakness allows for both denial of service conditions where routing convergence fails and information disclosure scenarios where sensitive routing information may be exposed through malformed packet processing.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-7309 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise network stability and security posture. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to cause routing table inconsistencies that may result in network partitioning, traffic rerouting to unintended destinations, or complete routing protocol failure across affected network segments. The vulnerability's relationship to CVE-2013-0149 demonstrates a pattern of insufficient input validation within the OSPF implementation, suggesting broader systemic issues in the routing protocol handling capabilities. Network administrators may observe intermittent routing failures, increased convergence times, or complete routing protocol instability when this vulnerability is exploited, potentially affecting critical network services and enterprise connectivity.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of network access controls and monitoring procedures to detect and prevent malicious LSA packet injection. The recommended approach involves configuring OSPF authentication mechanisms and implementing strict packet filtering rules at network boundaries to prevent unauthorized LSA packet injection. Network administrators should also consider applying firmware updates from Extreme Networks that address the specific validation logic deficiencies in the OSPF implementation. Additionally, implementing monitoring solutions that track LSA packet patterns and identify duplicate Link State ID occurrences can provide early detection capabilities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input, and may be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1562.001 for "Impairing Security Tools" and T1498 for "Network Denial of Service" in threat modeling contexts. Organizations should also review their network segmentation strategies and implement redundant routing paths to minimize the impact of potential exploitation while applying vendor-provided patches and updates.