CVE-2016-10665 in herbivore
Summary
by MITRE
herbivore is a packet sniffing and crafting library. Built on libtins herbivore 0.0.3 and below download binary resources over HTTP, which leaves it vulnerable to MITM attacks. It may be possible to cause remote code execution (RCE) by swapping out the requested resources with an attacker controlled copy if the attacker is on the network or positioned in between the user and the remote server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2023
The herbivore packet sniffing and crafting library presents a significant security vulnerability through its insecure implementation of binary resource downloads over unencrypted HTTP connections. This flaw affects versions 0.0.3 and below of the library, creating a critical pathway for man-in-the-middle attacks that can compromise the integrity of the software's operational environment. The vulnerability stems from the library's failure to implement proper cryptographic verification mechanisms when fetching remote resources, leaving network traffic susceptible to interception and manipulation by malicious actors positioned within the communication path.
The technical flaw manifests in the library's reliance on HTTP protocols for downloading binary components, which inherently lack encryption and authentication guarantees. When herbivore attempts to download resources from remote servers, it does so without implementing secure transport mechanisms such as HTTPS or cryptographic checksum verification. This design decision creates an attack surface where adversaries can exploit the network communication to substitute legitimate resources with malicious copies. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-319, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information through improper use of network protocols, and represents a classic example of insecure communication channels that enable various attack vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to potentially enable full remote code execution capabilities. An attacker positioned within the network path between the user and the remote server can actively replace the requested binary resources with attacker-controlled payloads. This substitution capability, combined with the library's execution model, could allow for arbitrary code execution on systems where herbivore is deployed. The threat landscape becomes particularly concerning when considering that packet sniffing and crafting libraries are often used in security research and network analysis environments where elevated privileges may be present. This vulnerability essentially provides a pathway for attackers to escalate privileges and gain control over systems running affected versions of the library, making it a critical concern for network security professionals.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate security gap and the underlying architectural flaw in the library's resource acquisition process. Organizations should immediately upgrade to versions of herbivore that implement secure HTTP connections with proper certificate validation or transition to HTTPS protocols for all binary downloads. Additionally, implementing network-level protections such as DNS security extensions and certificate pinning mechanisms can help prevent successful man-in-the-middle attacks. The remediation approach should also include network segmentation to limit the attack surface and monitoring for unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate resource substitution attempts. Security practitioners should consider implementing network access controls and firewall rules to restrict outbound HTTP traffic from systems running herbivore, while also establishing proper code signing verification processes for all downloaded resources. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure communication practices in network security tools and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004, which covers application layer protocol: DNS, emphasizing the need for proper protocol security implementation in network-based tools and libraries.