CVE-2015-3254 in Thrift
Summary
by MITRE
The client libraries in Apache Thrift before 0.9.3 might allow remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (infinite recursion) via vectors involving the skip function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2022
Apache Thrift client libraries prior to version 0.9.3 contained a critical vulnerability that enabled authenticated remote attackers to trigger infinite recursion through improper handling of the skip function within the protocol implementation. This flaw existed in the binary protocol processing logic where the skip function failed to properly validate input data structures, allowing maliciously crafted data to cause recursive calls that could consume excessive system resources and lead to denial of service conditions. The vulnerability specifically impacted the deserialization process when Thrift encountered malformed data structures that contained self-referential or cyclic data patterns during skip operations. The issue stemmed from inadequate bounds checking and recursive call depth limitations within the protocol parser, creating a scenario where legitimate skip operations could be manipulated to create infinite loops. This vulnerability was categorized under CWE-674 which addresses uncontrolled recursion in software systems, making it particularly dangerous as it could be exploited by authenticated users who had access to the Thrift service. The impact extended beyond simple resource exhaustion as the infinite recursion could cause application crashes, system instability, and potentially affect other services running on the same infrastructure. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability by sending specially crafted data packets that would trigger the recursive behavior during normal protocol processing. The flaw was particularly concerning in distributed systems where Thrift is commonly used for inter-service communication, as it could be used to disrupt service availability across multiple nodes. Organizations using Apache Thrift in production environments were at risk of experiencing service degradation or complete outages when this vulnerability was exploited. The vulnerability was addressed through improved input validation and recursive call limiting mechanisms in the skip function implementation, ensuring that protocol parsers could handle malformed data without entering infinite recursion loops. Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in their risk assessments for systems using Apache Thrift, particularly in environments where authentication is required but not properly enforced. The issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks, as the vulnerability could be exploited to cause service unavailability through resource exhaustion. Organizations should prioritize updating their Apache Thrift client libraries to version 0.9.3 or later to mitigate this risk, while also implementing proper input validation and monitoring for unusual recursion patterns in their systems. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust protocol parsing and the need for defensive programming practices that prevent recursive operations from becoming exploitable attack vectors. This flaw serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper bounds checking and input validation in network protocol implementations, particularly in systems that handle untrusted data from authenticated sources. The remediation process involved strengthening the protocol parser to detect and terminate recursive operations that exceeded predetermined thresholds, ensuring that even malformed data could not cause system instability.