CVE-2018-20033 in FlexNet Publisher
Summary
by MITRE
A Remote Code Execution vulnerability in lmgrd and vendor daemon components of FlexNet Publisher version 11.16.1.0 and earlier could allow a remote attacker to corrupt the memory by allocating / deallocating memory, loading lmgrd or the vendor daemon and causing the heartbeat between lmgrd and the vendor daemon to stop. This would force the vendor daemon to shut down. No exploit of this vulnerability has been demonstrated.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2023
This vulnerability exists within the FlexNet Publisher licensing system, specifically affecting lmgrd and vendor daemon components in versions 11.16.1.0 and earlier. The flaw represents a memory corruption issue that arises from improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation operations within the licensing infrastructure. Attackers can exploit this weakness by manipulating the memory management processes of these critical components, potentially leading to system instability and service disruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate memory management practices within the licensing daemon processes. When lmgrd and vendor daemon components communicate and synchronize their operations, the heartbeat mechanism that maintains their connection becomes vulnerable to disruption. This occurs when malicious actors manipulate the allocation and deallocation sequences of memory blocks, causing the system to corrupt memory structures that are essential for proper operation. The vulnerability specifically targets the communication protocols between these two components, where the heartbeat failure forces the vendor daemon to terminate its operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially enable broader system compromise. While no demonstrated exploits exist for this specific vulnerability, the potential for remote code execution means that attackers could leverage this memory corruption to gain unauthorized access to systems running vulnerable licensing software. The disruption of the heartbeat mechanism creates a window of opportunity for attackers to escalate privileges or execute malicious code within the system context where these licensing components operate. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments that rely heavily on software licensing management systems, as the disruption of licensing services can impact legitimate software usage and potentially enable further attacks.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including upgrading to patched versions of FlexNet Publisher beyond 11.16.1.0, applying network segmentation to limit access to licensing components, and monitoring for unusual heartbeat failures or daemon shutdown patterns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation, and represents a potential pathway for attackers to achieve persistence through the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques. System administrators should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for anomalous behavior in licensing daemon communications and establish baseline operational states for heartbeat monitoring to detect early signs of exploitation attempts.