CVE-2014-3158 in ppp
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in the getword function in options.c in pppd in Paul's PPP Package (ppp) before 2.4.7 allows attackers to "access privileged options" via a long word in an options file, which triggers a heap-based buffer overflow that "[corrupts] security-relevant variables."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3158 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the pppd daemon component of Paul's PPP Package, specifically within the getword function located in options.c. This vulnerability affects versions prior to 2.4.7 and exposes a fundamental security weakness that can be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to privileged system options. The issue manifests when processing long words in configuration files, creating a condition where integer arithmetic operations exceed their maximum representable values, leading to unexpected behavior in memory management.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the getword function, which is responsible for parsing option words from configuration files. When an attacker supplies a specially crafted long word in an options file, the function fails to properly handle integer overflow conditions during memory allocation calculations. This flaw results in a heap-based buffer overflow scenario where the corrupted memory regions contain security-relevant variables that control access permissions and system privileges. The vulnerability operates under the CWE-190 category for integer overflow and falls within the ATT&CK technique T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple buffer corruption, as it provides attackers with the capability to manipulate critical system variables that govern access control and privilege levels. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized modification of privileged options, potentially allowing attackers to escalate their privileges or gain full administrative control over systems running vulnerable versions of pppd. The heap-based nature of the overflow means that memory corruption occurs in dynamically allocated regions, making detection and prevention particularly challenging. This vulnerability represents a significant risk to network infrastructure and systems relying on pppd for point-to-point protocol connections, as it can be exploited through configuration file manipulation without requiring direct system access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3158 primarily focus on immediate software patching to version 2.4.7 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for integer overflow handling in the getword function. System administrators should implement strict input validation for all configuration files, particularly those used by pppd, and employ automated monitoring to detect suspicious long word patterns. Network segmentation and privilege separation techniques can help limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs, while regular security audits of configuration files can identify malformed inputs that might trigger similar vulnerabilities. The fix implemented in the patched version addresses the core integer overflow issue by properly validating input lengths and implementing robust boundary checks before memory allocation operations, preventing the heap corruption that enables privilege escalation attacks.