CVE-2016-3179 in MiniSSDPd
Summary
by MITRE
The processRequest function in minissdpd.c in MiniSSDPd 1.2.20130907-3 allows local users to cause a denial of service (invalid free and daemon crash) via vectors related to error handling.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3179 resides within the MiniSSDPd daemon version 1.2.20130907-3, specifically within the processRequest function located in the minissdpd.c source file. This daemon serves as a Simple Service Discovery Protocol implementation that enables devices to advertise their services on local networks, making it a critical component in network discovery mechanisms. The flaw manifests during error handling scenarios where the application fails to properly validate memory operations, creating conditions that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system instability. This represents a fundamental issue in the daemon's memory management practices, where improper handling of error conditions can result in the application attempting to free memory that has already been released or is otherwise invalid.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when local users manipulate input data or trigger specific error conditions that cause the processRequest function to execute invalid memory deallocation operations. This flaw directly corresponds to CWE-415, which describes improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation operations, and more specifically aligns with CWE-416 which addresses the use of freed memory conditions. The daemon's error handling mechanism lacks proper validation checks that would prevent the execution of invalid free operations, creating a pathway for attackers to cause the daemon to crash or potentially execute unintended code. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the daemon level, meaning that successful exploitation can result in complete service disruption for network discovery functions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to network infrastructure that relies on MiniSSDPd for service discovery operations. The denial of service impact can render network devices unable to properly advertise their services, potentially affecting network connectivity and device management capabilities. The daemon crash resulting from this vulnerability can occur without requiring elevated privileges, as local users already possess the necessary access to trigger the problematic code paths. Network administrators may observe intermittent service disruptions or complete outages in network discovery functionality, which can cascade into broader operational issues when dependent services fail to properly communicate or locate network resources. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it can potentially allow for privilege escalation or information disclosure depending on the specific memory corruption patterns that occur.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-3179 should focus on immediate patching of the affected MiniSSDPd daemon to the latest available version that contains the corrected error handling implementation. Organizations should also implement monitoring procedures to detect unusual daemon behavior or crash patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access controls can help limit local user access to systems running the vulnerable daemon, while regular security assessments should verify that no other instances of the vulnerable software remain operational. The fix typically involves implementing proper memory validation checks within the error handling code paths, ensuring that memory deallocation operations only occur on valid memory regions that have not been previously freed. Additionally, system hardening measures including disabling unnecessary services and implementing proper logging mechanisms can help detect and respond to exploitation attempts, with security controls aligned to the attack patterns described in the ATT&CK framework under the T1489 technique for denial of service.