CVE-2017-12467 in CCN-lite
Summary
by MITRE
Memory leak in CCN-lite before 2.00 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by leveraging failure to allocate memory for the comp or complen structure member.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12467 affects CCN-lite versions prior to 2018.01, representing a critical memory management flaw that can be exploited to execute denial of service attacks. This issue stems from insufficient memory allocation handling within the software's processing of content name components, specifically impacting the comp and complen structure members that are essential for proper content name parsing and management.
The technical flaw manifests when CCN-lite encounters certain content name structures that require memory allocation for component processing. Under normal operating conditions, the software should properly allocate memory for the comp and complen members to store component data and length information respectively. However, due to inadequate error handling and memory management protocols, the system fails to allocate sufficient memory resources when processing specific content name formats, leading to progressive memory consumption over time.
This memory leak vulnerability operates within a context-dependent attack scenario where adversaries can craft specific content name structures that trigger the problematic code path. The flaw does not require authentication or special privileges to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by any attacker who can send specially crafted content to the vulnerable CCN-lite instance. The attack vector typically involves sending content names with complex component structures that cause the memory allocation failure, resulting in gradual memory exhaustion.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple resource exhaustion, potentially compromising the stability and availability of network services that rely on CCN-lite for content delivery. As memory consumption increases continuously without proper cleanup, the affected system may experience degraded performance, application crashes, or complete service unavailability. This is particularly concerning in network infrastructure environments where CCN-lite serves as a core component for content centric networking operations, as the denial of service can cascade to affect downstream services and user access.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-401, which specifically addresses memory leaks in software systems. The flaw represents a classic case of insufficient resource management where the software fails to properly handle memory allocation failures, creating a persistent resource drain that can be exploited by attackers. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks through resource exhaustion, demonstrating how memory leaks can be weaponized for broader operational disruption.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate deployment of CCN-lite version 2.00 or later, which contains the necessary memory management fixes and proper allocation handling for the comp and complen structure members. Organizations should also implement monitoring systems to detect unusual memory consumption patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure to potential attackers, while regular security assessments should verify proper memory management implementation in all content centric networking deployments.