CVE-2014-8769 in tcpdump
Summary
by MITRE
tcpdump 3.8 through 4.6.2 might allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information from memory or cause a denial of service (packet loss or segmentation fault) via a crafted Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) packet, which triggers an out-of-bounds memory access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-8769 affects tcpdump versions 3.8 through 4.6.2 and represents a critical security flaw in network packet analysis software that can be exploited remotely to either disclose sensitive information or cause system disruption. This vulnerability specifically targets the handling of Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector protocol packets, which are commonly used in wireless mesh networks for dynamic route discovery. The flaw manifests when tcpdump processes malformed AODV packets that trigger out-of-bounds memory access conditions, creating potential attack vectors that could be leveraged by malicious actors in network environments where tcpdump is actively monitoring traffic.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within tcpdump's packet parsing routines for AODV protocol structures. When processing crafted AODV packets, the software fails to properly bounds-check array accesses or validate packet header fields, leading to memory access violations that can result in information disclosure through memory leaks or system crashes. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 weakness category, which specifically addresses improper validation of array indices, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through command and scripting interpreter. The out-of-bounds memory access occurs during the parsing of AODV packet headers where the software assumes certain field values will remain within expected ranges, but maliciously crafted packets can cause pointer arithmetic to access memory locations outside the allocated buffer boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially expose sensitive data stored in memory regions that are accessible to the tcpdump process. Attackers could leverage this flaw to cause segmentation faults that result in packet loss, effectively disrupting network monitoring capabilities, or to extract confidential information from memory through careful exploitation of the memory access violations. In environments where tcpdump is used for security monitoring, network analysis, or forensic investigations, this vulnerability could provide attackers with opportunities to either disrupt critical network operations or gain access to sensitive information that might otherwise remain protected. The vulnerability affects systems where tcpdump is deployed as a network monitoring tool, particularly in wireless mesh network environments where AODV protocol traffic is common.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-8769 should focus on immediate patching of affected tcpdump installations to versions that include proper bounds checking and input validation for AODV packet processing. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running tcpdump to untrusted network traffic. Additional protective measures include deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed AODV packets, implementing network monitoring to detect unusual packet patterns, and conducting regular security assessments of network monitoring tools. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in network protocol parsers and highlights the need for robust memory safety practices in security tools that process untrusted network data. System administrators should also consider implementing network access controls to prevent unauthorized access to systems running tcpdump, as well as maintaining up-to-date security patches for all network monitoring and analysis tools to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.