CVE-2014-3822 in Junos
Summary
by MITRE
Juniper Junos 11.4 before 11.4R8, 12.1 before 12.1R5, 12.1X44 before 12.1X44-D20, 12.1X45 before 12.1X45-D15, 12.1X46 before 12.1X46-D10, and 12.1X47 before 12.1X47-D10 on SRX Series devices, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (flowd crash) via a malformed packet, related to translating IPv6 to IPv4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3822 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting Juniper SRX Series devices running specific versions of the Junos operating system. This issue specifically impacts network infrastructure equipment that handles IPv6 to IPv4 translation processes, creating a pathway for remote attackers to disrupt network services through carefully crafted malformed packets. The affected versions span multiple release branches including 11.4R7 and earlier, 12.1R4 and earlier, and various 12.1X44 through 12.1X47 release lines, indicating a widespread exposure across multiple product generations. The vulnerability manifests when the flowd daemon encounters malformed packets during IPv6 to IPv4 translation operations, leading to system instability and complete service disruption.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient input validation within the IPv6 to IPv4 translation mechanism of the Junos operating system. When the flowd process receives packets that do not conform to expected IPv6 packet structures, the system fails to properly handle the malformed data during the translation process. This processing error triggers an unhandled exception that causes the flowd daemon to crash and restart, resulting in a denial of service condition that affects the device's ability to process network traffic. The vulnerability operates at the network layer and leverages the inherent complexity of IPv6 to IPv4 translation protocols, where the translation engine lacks robust error handling for malformed packet structures. This flaw aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input ranges, and CWE-248, concerning exposure of unintended alternative execution paths.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-3822 extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass potential network-wide consequences. When the flowd daemon crashes, it affects the device's ability to maintain flow tracking information, which is crucial for traffic management, security policy enforcement, and network monitoring. Network administrators may experience complete loss of connectivity for services that depend on the SRX device's routing and security functions. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can trigger the denial of service condition from external network positions without requiring physical access or authentication credentials. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in production environments where SRX devices serve as critical network gateways and security appliances, potentially allowing attackers to disrupt business operations or create network isolation conditions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3822 require immediate implementation of firmware updates to the affected Junos versions, with the most effective solution being the upgrade to the patched release versions. Network administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potential attackers, while monitoring for unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in network infrastructure software, as highlighted by ATT&CK technique T1499.002 which covers network disruption attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed packet patterns and deploy rate limiting mechanisms to reduce the impact of potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular vulnerability assessments and security audits of network infrastructure components are essential to identify similar flaws in other network devices and operating systems that may present comparable risks.