CVE-2018-1269 in Loggregator
Summary
by MITRE
Cloud Foundry Loggregator, versions 89.x prior to 89.5 or 96.x prior to 96.1 or 99.x prior to 99.1 or 101.x prior to 101.9 or 102.x prior to 102.2, does not handle errors thrown while constructing certain http requests. A remote authenticated user may construct malicious requests to cause the traffic controller to leave dangling TCP connections, which could cause denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/15/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1269 affects Cloud Foundry Loggregator components, specifically targeting versions prior to critical patches in multiple release branches. This issue manifests in the traffic controller service which is responsible for managing HTTP request processing within the Cloud Foundry ecosystem. The flaw represents a classic error handling weakness that can be exploited by authenticated attackers to disrupt service availability. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-704 as improper error handling, which directly impacts system reliability and availability. Attackers with valid credentials can leverage this weakness to create conditions that result in resource exhaustion and service disruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate exception management during HTTP request construction processes within the traffic controller component. When malformed or malicious requests are processed, the system fails to properly handle the resulting exceptions, leading to the creation of dangling TCP connections. These connections remain open indefinitely without proper cleanup mechanisms, consuming system resources and preventing new legitimate connections from being established. The issue demonstrates poor resource management practices and highlights the importance of proper connection lifecycle handling in network services. The vulnerability affects multiple version streams including 89.x, 96.x, 99.x, 101.x, and 102.x, indicating a widespread problem that required coordinated patching across the software lifecycle.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to create cascading effects within Cloud Foundry deployments. Dangling TCP connections consume memory and file descriptor resources on the traffic controller, potentially leading to system instability and performance degradation. This weakness can be particularly dangerous in high-traffic environments where connection exhaustion could affect legitimate user access to applications and services. The vulnerability enables attackers to consume system resources without requiring elevated privileges, making it a significant concern for multi-tenant cloud platforms. From an attack perspective, this represents a low-effort, high-impact vector that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks, where adversaries leverage application-level flaws to exhaust system resources.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the relevant patches to versions 89.5, 96.1, 99.1, 101.9, and 102.2 as specified in the vendor advisories. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual connection patterns and resource consumption spikes that may indicate exploitation attempts. Access controls and authentication mechanisms should be reviewed to ensure only authorized users can submit requests that might trigger the vulnerability. Additionally, implementing connection timeout mechanisms and proper resource cleanup procedures can help reduce the impact if exploitation occurs. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of robust error handling in network services and the need for comprehensive testing of exception scenarios in production environments. System administrators should also consider implementing rate limiting and connection pooling strategies to provide additional protection against resource exhaustion attacks.