CVE-2017-15096 in GlusterFS
Summary
by MITRE
A flaw was found in GlusterFS in versions prior to 3.10. A null pointer dereference in send_brick_req function in glusterfsd/src/gf_attach.c may be used to cause denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15096 represents a critical null pointer dereference flaw within the GlusterFS distributed file system implementation. This issue affects versions prior to 310 and specifically resides in the send_brick_req function located within the glusterfsd/src/gf_attach.c source file. The flaw manifests during the attachment process of brick volumes, where improper handling of pointer validation leads to system instability. GlusterFS, being a widely deployed open-source distributed storage solution, makes this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations relying on its file system services.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-476, which categorizes null pointer dereference conditions as a fundamental programming error that can lead to application crashes or system instability. When the send_brick_req function encounters a scenario where a pointer expected to contain valid data becomes null, the subsequent dereference operation causes the glusterfsd process to terminate unexpectedly. This behavior occurs because the function does not properly validate pointer states before attempting to access memory locations referenced by these pointers. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in production environments where continuous availability of storage services is critical, as a single malicious or malformed request can trigger the denial of service condition.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass broader system reliability concerns within distributed storage infrastructures. Organizations utilizing GlusterFS for critical data services face potential downtime and data accessibility issues when this vulnerability is exploited. The denial of service condition affects the glusterfsd daemon responsible for managing brick processes, effectively rendering the affected storage volumes unavailable to clients until the service is manually restarted. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in cloud environments and large-scale deployments where automated failover mechanisms may not adequately address the specific nature of the null pointer dereference, potentially leading to cascading failures across interconnected storage services.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-15096 primarily focus on immediate version upgrades to GlusterFS 3.10 or later releases where the null pointer validation has been implemented. System administrators should prioritize patching affected installations, particularly in environments handling sensitive or mission-critical data. Additional protective measures include implementing network segmentation to limit exposure of GlusterFS services to untrusted networks and deploying monitoring solutions to detect anomalous behavior patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique involving network denial of service attacks, though it represents an internal system vulnerability rather than an external network-based attack vector. Organizations should also consider implementing process monitoring and automated restart mechanisms for glusterfsd services to minimize downtime during exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and error handling in distributed systems, emphasizing that even seemingly minor programming flaws can have significant operational consequences in enterprise storage environments.