CVE-2015-7264 in Facebook Proxygen
Summary
by MITRE
The SPDY/2 codec in Facebook Proxygen before 2015-11-09 truncates a certain field to two bytes, which allows hijacking and injection attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7264 resides within the SPDY/2 codec implementation in Facebook Proxygen library versions prior to 2015-11-09. This flaw represents a critical security issue that undermines the integrity of network communications by exploiting a specific field truncation mechanism. The vulnerability manifests in the handling of certain protocol fields during the SPDY/2 protocol processing, creating opportunities for malicious actors to manipulate network traffic and potentially compromise system security.
The technical flaw involves the improper handling of a specific field within the SPDY/2 protocol implementation where the field is truncated to only two bytes instead of the expected full field length. This truncation creates a scenario where attackers can manipulate protocol headers and inject malicious data into network streams. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and proper field size handling within the codec implementation, allowing for protocol-level attacks that can bypass normal security controls. The truncation affects the way the system processes certain header fields, creating potential injection points that can be exploited to alter communication flows.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation to encompass full traffic hijacking capabilities. Attackers can leverage this flaw to intercept and modify network traffic between clients and servers, potentially redirecting requests to malicious endpoints or injecting harmful content into legitimate communications. The vulnerability affects any system utilizing Facebook Proxygen with SPDY/2 support, making it particularly concerning given the widespread adoption of this library in various web applications and services. The attack surface includes man-in-the-middle scenarios where attackers can exploit the truncation to inject malicious headers or manipulate existing ones, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or service disruption.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-7264 require immediate patching of affected Proxygen library versions to ensure proper field handling and prevent truncation issues. Organizations should implement comprehensive network monitoring to detect anomalous traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix addresses the underlying field size handling by ensuring proper validation of protocol fields and preventing unintended truncation that could enable injection attacks. Security teams should also consider implementing additional network security controls such as header validation, traffic inspection, and protocol compliance checking to reduce the risk of exploitation. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of length of input buffers, and relates to ATT&CK techniques involving protocol manipulation and traffic injection attacks. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched systems to ensure that the fix properly resolves the truncation issue without introducing regressions in functionality.