CVE-2015-3026 in Icecast
Summary
by MITRE
Icecast before 2.4.2, when a stream_auth handler is defined for URL authentication, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and crash) via a request without login credentials, as demonstrated by a request to "admin/killsource?mount=/test.ogg."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-3026 affects Icecast versions prior to 2.4.2 and represents a critical denial of service weakness that can be exploited by remote attackers to crash the streaming media server. This issue specifically manifests when a stream_auth handler is configured for URL authentication purposes, creating a scenario where the server fails to properly validate authentication requests. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the authentication processing module, which fails to properly manage requests lacking proper login credentials.
The technical flaw occurs when an attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to the administrative endpoint "/admin/killsource?mount=/test.ogg" without providing the required authentication credentials. The server processes this request through its stream_auth handler mechanism but encounters a NULL pointer dereference condition when attempting to access authentication data that does not exist in the malformed request. This NULL pointer dereference represents a classic software vulnerability pattern that falls under CWE-476, which specifically addresses null pointer dereference conditions in software implementations. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through simple HTTP requests without requiring any special privileges or authentication.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it allows remote attackers to reliably crash the Icecast server through carefully constructed requests. When the server encounters the malformed request containing the killsource command without proper authentication, it crashes and becomes unavailable to legitimate users. This denial of service condition can be exploited repeatedly, making it particularly dangerous for streaming services that rely on continuous availability. The vulnerability affects organizations running Icecast servers in production environments where administrative functions are exposed to untrusted networks, potentially compromising the availability of streaming services and media content delivery.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve immediate patching of Icecast installations to version 2.4.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the authentication handling logic. Organizations should also implement network-level restrictions to limit access to administrative endpoints, particularly the /admin/killsource functionality, by filtering requests based on source IP addresses or implementing proper authentication controls. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect and alert on unusual patterns of administrative requests that could indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving denial of service and privilege escalation, with the initial access point being the exploitation of the unauthenticated administrative interface. Network segmentation and the principle of least privilege should be enforced to minimize the potential impact of such attacks, ensuring that administrative functions are not directly accessible from untrusted networks.