CVE-2019-0205 in Thrift
Summary
by MITRE
In Apache Thrift all versions up to and including 0.12.0, a server or client may run into an endless loop when feed with specific input data. Because the issue had already been partially fixed in version 0.11.0, depending on the installed version it affects only certain language bindings.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-0205 represents a critical denial of service weakness in Apache Thrift that affects versions up to and including 0.12.0. This issue manifests as an infinite loop condition that can occur when Thrift servers or clients process specifically crafted input data, potentially leading to system resource exhaustion and service disruption. The vulnerability impacts the core communication framework that Apache Thrift provides for cross-language service development, making it particularly concerning for distributed systems that rely on this technology for inter-service communication.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient input validation within the Thrift protocol implementation, specifically in how the framework handles malformed or unexpected data streams during serialization and deserialization processes. When processing certain input patterns, the parsing logic enters into recursive or iterative loops that never terminate, consuming CPU resources indefinitely. This behavior is particularly dangerous in server environments where multiple concurrent connections may be established, as the vulnerability can be exploited to cause cascading failures across the entire service infrastructure. The issue affects the protocol parser components that handle binary and compact protocol formats, with the vulnerability being more pronounced in certain language bindings due to varying implementation approaches across different programming environments.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-0205 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise system availability and reliability in production environments. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending maliciously crafted data to Thrift services, causing them to enter infinite loops and consume excessive computational resources. This can lead to complete service unavailability, especially when multiple concurrent connections are exploited simultaneously. The vulnerability's partial remediation in version 0.11.0 creates a complex landscape where different language bindings may exhibit varying levels of susceptibility, complicating security assessments and patch management efforts across heterogeneous system environments. Organizations using Apache Thrift in mission-critical applications face significant risk of operational downtime and potential data loss if this vulnerability remains unaddressed.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-0205 should prioritize immediate upgrade to Apache Thrift version 0.12.1 or later, which contains comprehensive fixes for the infinite loop conditions. Network-level protections such as input validation at proxy layers and rate limiting mechanisms can provide temporary defenses while upgrades are deployed. Implementing monitoring solutions that detect unusual CPU consumption patterns and connection spikes can help identify exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing defensive coding practices in applications that use Thrift, including input sanitization and timeout mechanisms for all Thrift communication operations. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-835 which addresses infinite loops in software implementations and relates to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks, emphasizing the importance of robust input validation and proper resource management in distributed system architectures.