CVE-2014-8153 in Neutron
Summary
by MITRE
The L3 agent in OpenStack Neutron 2014.2.x before 2014.2.2, when using radvd 2.0+, allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (blocked router update processing) by creating eight routers and assigning an ipv6 non-provider subnet to each.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-8153 affects the Layer 3 (L3) agent within OpenStack Neutron version 2014.2.x prior to 2014.2.2, representing a significant denial of service weakness that impacts network virtualization infrastructure. This flaw specifically manifests when the L3 agent utilizes radvd version 2.0 or higher, creating a scenario where authenticated attackers can exploit the system through a relatively simple attack pattern involving router creation and IPv6 subnet assignment. The vulnerability operates within the broader context of cloud networking services where the L3 agent is responsible for managing routing functions and maintaining connectivity between virtual networks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of IPv6 router advertisements within the L3 agent's processing pipeline. When an authenticated user creates eight routers and assigns an IPv6 non-provider subnet to each, the system becomes overwhelmed with router update processing requests that cannot be efficiently handled. This creates a condition where router update processing becomes blocked, effectively preventing legitimate network operations from completing successfully. The flaw specifically relates to how the L3 agent processes and manages IPv6 routing information, particularly when multiple router instances are configured with IPv6 subnets that trigger specific radvd behaviors. The vulnerability manifests as a resource exhaustion or processing bottleneck that prevents the system from maintaining normal routing operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-8153 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the entire network virtualization infrastructure managed by OpenStack Neutron. Organizations relying on this platform for cloud networking services face significant risks including network partitioning, service unavailability, and potential cascading failures that could affect multiple virtual networks simultaneously. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only authenticated access, making it particularly dangerous in environments where access controls may be insufficient or where compromised accounts exist within the system. This denial of service condition can persist until manual intervention occurs, potentially requiring system restarts or manual cleanup of router configurations to restore normal operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the affected OpenStack Neutron versions to 2014.2.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to address the radvd integration issues. Network administrators should implement strict access controls and monitoring to detect unauthorized router creation activities that could indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of rate limiting and resource quotas for router creation operations can help prevent the exploitation scenario from succeeding. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions that can detect abnormal router update processing patterns. From a security framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which addresses resource exhaustion vulnerabilities, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for denial of service attacks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include verification of radvd versions and OpenStack Neutron configurations to ensure compliance with security best practices and prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in other components of the cloud infrastructure stack.