CVE-2016-8633 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE
drivers/firewire/net.c in the Linux kernel before 4.8.7, in certain unusual hardware configurations, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted fragmented packets.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8633 represents a critical security flaw within the Linux kernel's firewire networking implementation that affects systems running kernel versions prior to 4.8.7. This issue resides in the drivers/firewire/net.c file and demonstrates how hardware-specific networking protocols can introduce unexpected attack vectors when improperly handled by kernel drivers. The vulnerability specifically targets firewire (ieee 1394) network interfaces that operate in certain unusual hardware configurations, making it particularly challenging to identify and mitigate as it does not affect all firewire implementations uniformly. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive data or network resources.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of fragmented packets within the firewire network driver implementation. When the kernel processes fragmented network packets over firewire interfaces, it fails to properly validate packet boundaries and memory allocation during the reassembly process. This memory corruption occurs because the driver does not adequately check the integrity of fragmented packet data before processing, allowing attackers to craft malicious packets that trigger buffer overflows or other memory manipulation conditions. The vulnerability is particularly insidious because it operates at the kernel level, where successful exploitation can provide attackers with the highest possible privileges and complete control over the affected system's operations. This type of flaw aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation in kernel-space network processing code.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-8633 extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it enables remote code execution capabilities that can be leveraged across networks without requiring physical access to target systems. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability from remote locations to inject malicious code into systems connected via firewire interfaces, potentially compromising entire network segments if multiple vulnerable devices exist. The unusual hardware configurations mentioned in the vulnerability description suggest that the issue may be more prevalent in specific hardware combinations or embedded systems where firewire networking is implemented in non-standard ways. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where firewire interfaces might be present in legacy systems, servers, or specialized hardware components that are not regularly updated or monitored for security patches. The attack surface is further expanded when considering that firewire interfaces are often used in high-performance computing environments, multimedia systems, and industrial control systems where system integrity is paramount.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-8633 primarily focus on immediate kernel updates to versions 4.8.7 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the fragmented packet handling issues in the firewire driver. System administrators should prioritize patching affected systems, particularly those running older kernel versions that are still in production use. Additional protective measures include disabling firewire networking interfaces when not actively required, implementing network segmentation to isolate firewire-connected devices, and monitoring for suspicious network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed firewire packets and network anomalies associated with this vulnerability. From an operational security perspective, this vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date kernel versions and conducting regular security assessments of network interfaces, particularly those that operate outside of standard ethernet protocols. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under T1059 for remote code execution and T1068 for exploit development, emphasizing the need for comprehensive endpoint protection and network monitoring capabilities to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.