CVE-2013-7311 in Gaia
Summary
by MITRE
The OSPF implementation in Check Point Gaia OS R75.X and R76 and IPSO OS 6.2 R75.X and R76 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 described in CVE-2013-7311 represents a critical flaw in the Open Shortest Path First routing protocol implementation within Check Point's Gaia OS and IPSO OS operating systems. This issue affects versions R75.X and R76 of both operating systems, creating a significant security risk that impacts network infrastructure reliability and data integrity. The flaw specifically manifests in the handling of Link State Advertisement packets, which are fundamental components of OSPF routing operations that maintain network topology information across router networks.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient validation of Link State ID values within LSA packets before database operations are executed. When an OSPF router receives LSA packets, it typically validates that each Link State ID is unique within its database to prevent conflicts and maintain routing table integrity. However, Check Point's implementation fails to properly check for duplicate Link State ID values, creating a condition where malicious actors can exploit this weakness by crafting specially designed LSA packets containing identical Link State IDs. This design flaw allows attackers to manipulate the routing database in ways that were not anticipated by the original protocol implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, creating potential for sensitive information disclosure and widespread routing disruption across affected networks. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability through crafted LSA packets, they can cause the affected router to crash or become unstable, leading to routing table corruption and network partitioning that can disrupt critical network services. The vulnerability's relationship to CVE-2013-0149 indicates a broader pattern of implementation weaknesses in Check Point's OSPF handling, suggesting that multiple related flaws may exist within the same codebase. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input boundaries, and can be classified under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for process injection and T1499.004 for network disruption, as the attack vector specifically targets network infrastructure stability and routing protocols.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from network administrators and security teams responsible for Check Point infrastructure. The most effective immediate response involves applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates that address the specific validation issues in the OSPF implementation. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit the exposure of affected systems to untrusted network segments, particularly those that might receive unauthenticated OSPF traffic. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual LSA packet patterns and duplicate Link State ID occurrences that could indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing network intrusion detection systems with signature-based detection capabilities specifically designed to identify and block the crafted LSA packets associated with this vulnerability. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of patched systems to ensure that the OSPF implementation correctly handles duplicate Link State ID values without compromising normal routing operations. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper input validation in network protocol implementations and the potential for seemingly minor implementation flaws to create significant security risks across entire network infrastructures.