CVE-2017-13012 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
The ICMP parser in tcpdump before 4.9.2 has a buffer over-read in print-icmp.c:icmp_print().
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/07/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13012 represents a critical buffer over-read flaw within the ICMP parser component of tcpdump software versions prior to 4.9.2. This issue manifests specifically within the print-icmp.c source file at the icmp_print() function, where improper input validation and memory handling allows attackers to exploit malformed ICMP packets. The vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety issues and can be classified as a CWE-125: "Out-of-bounds Read" according to the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. Such flaws typically arise when software reads data from memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries without proper bounds checking mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when tcpdump processes malformed ICMP packets that contain unexpected data structures or lengths that exceed the allocated buffer space. When the icmp_print() function attempts to parse these malformed packets, it reads beyond the allocated memory region, potentially accessing uninitialized memory or memory belonging to other data structures. This behavior can result in unpredictable program execution, crashes, or in more severe cases, information disclosure that could expose sensitive data from adjacent memory regions. The attack surface is particularly concerning as tcpdump is widely used for network traffic analysis and packet capture across various network security tools and monitoring systems.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents significant risks to network security infrastructure that relies on tcpdump for traffic monitoring and analysis. Attackers could leverage this flaw by crafting specially malformed ICMP packets that, when processed by vulnerable tcpdump instances, would trigger the buffer over-read condition. The impact extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks such as information leakage or denial of service conditions that could disrupt network monitoring capabilities. This vulnerability particularly affects network security operations centers and penetration testing environments where tcpdump is commonly deployed for packet inspection and analysis purposes, making it a critical concern for security professionals and system administrators.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-13012 primarily focus on immediate software updates to tcpdump version 4.9.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the buffer over-read condition. System administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious ICMP traffic, while monitoring for unusual ICMP packet patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046: "Network Service Scanning' and T1059: 'Command and Scripting Interpreter' as attackers might use malformed ICMP packets to probe network defenses or establish command and control channels. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and bounds checking in network monitoring tools can prevent similar issues in other components of the network infrastructure. Organizations should also consider deploying network intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed ICMP traffic patterns that could exploit this and similar buffer over-read vulnerabilities.