CVE-2014-5209 in NTP
Summary
by MITRE
An Information Disclosure vulnerability exists in NTP 4.2.7p25 private (mode 6/7) messages via a GET_RESTRICT control message, which could let a malicious user obtain sensitive information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2024
The CVE-2014-5209 vulnerability represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Network Time Protocol implementation, specifically affecting NTP version 4.2.7p25. This vulnerability operates through the private mode 6 and 7 message handling mechanisms, which are designed for restricted administrative communications within the NTP protocol suite. The issue manifests when a GET_RESTRICT control message is processed, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive information that should remain protected within the private communication channels. The vulnerability exploits the insufficient access controls and validation mechanisms in the control message processing subsystem, creating a pathway for malicious actors to extract confidential data from the time synchronization infrastructure.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of control messages within the NTP protocol's private communication modes. When the system receives a GET_RESTRICT control message, it fails to properly validate the requestor's credentials or authorization level, allowing arbitrary users to access restricted information. This flaw resides in the protocol's handling of administrative control commands and demonstrates poor input validation practices that align with CWE-20, which addresses "Improper Input Validation" in software security implementations. The vulnerability specifically targets the control message processing logic where authentication checks are either missing or inadequately enforced, enabling information disclosure through improper privilege management.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-5209 extends beyond simple information leakage, as the exposed data could include sensitive configuration parameters, system identifiers, or network topology information that could be leveraged by attackers for further exploitation. This vulnerability compromises the integrity of the NTP security model by undermining the private mode communication channels that are specifically designed to protect sensitive administrative functions. Attackers could potentially use the disclosed information to craft more sophisticated attacks against the time synchronization infrastructure, including denial of service attacks or privilege escalation attempts. The vulnerability also represents a significant concern for organizations relying on NTP for critical time synchronization services, as it could compromise the security of time-sensitive applications and systems that depend on authenticated NTP communications.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of NTP software, disabling unnecessary control message processing capabilities, and implementing network segmentation to limit access to NTP servers. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper access control mechanisms and input validation in network protocols, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and T1566 for credential access through network services. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual control message patterns and unauthorized access attempts to NTP administrative interfaces, as this vulnerability could serve as an initial access vector for broader network compromise attempts. The incident highlights the critical need for regular security assessments of time synchronization infrastructure and proper implementation of security controls in network protocol implementations.