CVE-2017-8585 in .NET Framework
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, and 4.7 allow an attacker to send specially crafted requests to a .NET web application, resulting in denial of service, aka .NET Denial of Service Vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2021
The CVE-2017-8585 vulnerability represents a critical denial of service flaw within Microsoft .NET Framework versions 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, and 4.7 that specifically targets web applications utilizing the framework. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of specially crafted HTTP requests that can cause the affected applications to become unresponsive or crash entirely. The flaw exists in the way the .NET Framework processes certain request parameters, creating an exploitable condition that allows attackers to consume system resources or trigger application failures through seemingly benign network traffic. The vulnerability has been classified under CWE-400 which specifically addresses Uncontrolled Resource Consumption, making it a significant concern for enterprise environments where .NET applications serve critical business functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious actor sends crafted requests that exploit weaknesses in the .NET Framework's request parsing mechanisms. These requests contain malformed parameters or specific combinations of data that cause the application to enter an infinite loop or consume excessive memory resources. The flaw manifests as the framework's inability to properly validate or sanitize incoming request data, leading to resource exhaustion that results in application downtime. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication, making it an attractive target for automated attacks. Attackers can leverage this weakness to disrupt services for legitimate users, causing significant business impact and potentially financial losses.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-8585 extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass broader security and business continuity concerns. Organizations running affected .NET applications become vulnerable to sustained denial of service attacks that can render their web services unavailable for extended periods. This vulnerability particularly affects applications that process high volumes of external requests, such as e-commerce platforms, web portals, and API services. The exploit can be automated and scaled, allowing attackers to launch coordinated attacks against multiple targets simultaneously. From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability maps to several techniques within the MITRE ATT&CK framework including resource exhaustion and service stoppage tactics that are commonly used in distributed denial of service campaigns. The vulnerability also represents a significant risk to compliance requirements, as it can lead to service level agreement violations and regulatory compliance issues.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Microsoft security patches released in response to this vulnerability, which address the root cause by improving request validation and resource management within the .NET Framework. Network-level protections such as rate limiting, request filtering, and web application firewalls can provide additional defense in depth measures to detect and block malicious traffic patterns. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions that can identify unusual resource consumption patterns or application behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive application security testing procedures. Organizations should conduct vulnerability assessments to identify all affected .NET applications and establish incident response procedures specifically tailored to handle denial of service attacks. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and sanitization practices in application code can provide additional protection against similar vulnerabilities in the future.