CVE-2018-1000614 in Controller
Summary
by MITRE
ONOS ONOS Controller version 1.13.1 and earlier contains a XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in providers/netconf/alarm/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/netconf/alarm/NetconfAlarmTranslator.java that can result in An adversary can remotely launch advanced XXE attacks on ONOS controller without authentication.. This attack appear to be exploitable via crafted protocol message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/03/2020
The vulnerability CVE-2018-1000614 represents a critical XML External Entity (XXE) flaw within the ONOS ONOS Controller version 1.13.1 and earlier, specifically located in the NetconfAlarmTranslator.java file within the providers/netconf/alarm module. This vulnerability stems from the controller's improper handling of XML data received through NETCONF protocol communications, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can exploit the lack of proper XML parsing security controls. The flaw exists in the translation layer responsible for processing alarm notifications from network devices, making it particularly dangerous as it operates at the core of network monitoring and management functionalities.
The technical implementation of this XXE vulnerability allows adversaries to craft specially formatted protocol messages that, when processed by the vulnerable ONOS controller, trigger unauthorized access to external resources. This occurs because the XML parser does not properly validate or sanitize external entity references, enabling attackers to reference external URLs or files that can be used to exfiltrate data, perform server-side request forgery attacks, or even execute arbitrary code depending on the underlying system configuration. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-611 (Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference) and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python) when attackers leverage the vulnerability to execute malicious payloads through the controller's processing capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exfiltration, as it enables remote code execution without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous for network infrastructure controllers. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to sensitive network information, potentially compromising the entire network monitoring system and exposing the underlying network topology, device configurations, and operational details. The attack vector requires only the ability to send crafted protocol messages to the controller, which can be achieved through network-level access or by compromising network devices that communicate with the ONOS controller. This makes the vulnerability particularly concerning in enterprise network environments where ONOS controllers are used for managing large-scale network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-1000614 should focus on immediate patching of the ONOS controller to version 1.13.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the XXE vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to the ONOS controller to trusted networks only, and deploy network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous protocol message patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing proper XML parser configurations that disable external entity resolution andDTD processing can provide defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities. The fix typically involves updating the XML processing libraries used by the NetconfAlarmTranslator component and ensuring that all incoming XML data undergoes proper validation and sanitization before processing, aligning with industry best practices for secure XML handling as recommended by OWASP and NIST guidelines.