CVE-2019-0815 in ASP.NET Core
Summary
by MITRE
A denial of service vulnerability exists when ASP.NET Core improperly handles web requests, aka 'ASP.NET Core Denial of Service Vulnerability'.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-0815 represents a critical denial of service weakness within the ASP.NET Core framework that can be exploited to disrupt legitimate service operations. This flaw specifically manifests when the web request handling mechanisms within ASP.NET Core fail to properly process certain input patterns, leading to system resource exhaustion and subsequent service unavailability. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of the ASP.NET Core runtime and has significant implications for web applications that rely on this framework for their operational integrity. Organizations running applications built on ASP.NET Core are particularly at risk as attackers can leverage this weakness to cause sustained disruption of their services.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper validation and handling of incoming HTTP requests within the ASP.NET Core pipeline. When malformed or specially crafted requests are processed through the framework, the system fails to adequately sanitize or limit the resources consumed during request processing. This misconfiguration allows attackers to craft payloads that can cause the application to consume excessive memory, CPU cycles, or other system resources. The flaw operates at the application layer and can be triggered through standard HTTP communication channels without requiring authentication or elevated privileges. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-400, which specifically addresses "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" and aligns with the broader category of denial of service attacks that target resource exhaustion. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it can be executed through normal web traffic patterns, making detection and mitigation challenging.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-0815 extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass potential business continuity issues and financial losses. When exploited successfully, this vulnerability can cause applications to become unresponsive, leading to user frustration and potential revenue loss for organizations. The attack can be executed with relatively simple tools and requires minimal technical expertise, making it attractive to malicious actors seeking to cause disruption. Organizations may experience cascading effects as the denial of service propagates through dependent systems, potentially affecting entire application ecosystems. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to use the service disruption as a cover for more sophisticated attacks or to conduct reconnaissance activities. From an operational perspective, the attack can be difficult to distinguish from legitimate traffic patterns, complicating incident response efforts and requiring specialized monitoring solutions to detect and mitigate the threat effectively.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-0815 primarily involve applying the official security patches provided by Microsoft as part of their regular security updates. Organizations should prioritize upgrading their ASP.NET Core applications to versions that contain the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing request rate limiting and resource monitoring can provide defense-in-depth measures that help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Network-level controls such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can be configured to identify and block suspicious request patterns associated with this vulnerability. The implementation of proper input validation and sanitization within application code can further reduce the attack surface by ensuring that malformed requests are properly handled before reaching the core framework components. Organizations should also consider implementing application performance monitoring solutions that can detect unusual resource consumption patterns and alert administrators to potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to ensure that their ASP.NET Core applications remain protected against this and similar threats. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the critical need for continuous monitoring of application frameworks for emerging threats.