CVE-2016-9049 in Database Server
Summary
by MITRE
An exploitable denial-of-service vulnerability exists in the fabric-worker component of Aerospike Database Server 3.10.0.3. A specially crafted packet can cause the server process to dereference a null pointer. An attacker can simply connect to a TCP port in order to trigger this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/16/2020
The CVE-2016-9049 vulnerability represents a critical denial-of-service condition within the fabric-worker component of Aerospike Database Server version 3.10.0.3. This flaw manifests as a null pointer dereference that occurs when the server processes specially crafted network packets. The vulnerability exists at the network protocol handling layer where incoming TCP connections are processed by the fabric-worker thread responsible for managing cluster communication. The flaw demonstrates a classic memory safety issue that can be exploited without requiring authentication or elevated privileges, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where database availability is paramount.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the fabric-worker component's packet processing logic. When a malicious client establishes a TCP connection to the Aerospike server and sends a specifically crafted packet, the server's processing routine fails to properly validate pointer references before attempting to dereference them. This null pointer dereference results in an immediate process crash and subsequent service disruption. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal effort as attackers only need to establish a TCP connection to any listening port, making it an attractive target for automated attack scripts. The flaw aligns with CWE-476 which specifically addresses null pointer dereference conditions, representing a fundamental security weakness in memory management practices.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-9049 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise database availability and system reliability. Organizations relying on Aerospike for critical data operations face significant risk from this vulnerability, as the denial-of-service condition can be triggered remotely without requiring any authentication credentials. The vulnerability affects the core cluster communication functionality, potentially causing cascading failures across distributed database deployments where multiple nodes depend on fabric-worker processes for data replication and cluster coordination. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform service disruption attacks that may be difficult to distinguish from legitimate network issues, complicating incident response and forensic analysis efforts. The impact is particularly severe in high-availability environments where database uptime is mission-critical for business operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-9049 should prioritize immediate patch application from Aerospike, as the vendor released security updates specifically addressing this vulnerability. Organizations should implement network-level controls including firewall rules that restrict access to Aerospike ports to trusted networks only, reducing the attack surface available to potential exploiters. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual connection patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. System administrators should consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed packets targeting the specific vulnerability patterns. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their Aerospike deployments to identify any other instances of the same vulnerability class within their infrastructure. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of patched systems to ensure that the vulnerability has been properly addressed without introducing regressions in database functionality. Security teams should also consider implementing automated monitoring solutions that can detect service disruptions and alert administrators to potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing robust network security controls to protect against remote exploitation of database server components.