CVE-2019-14818 in dpdk
Summary
by MITRE
A flaw was found in all dpdk version 17.x.x before 17.11.8, 16.x.x before 16.11.10, 18.x.x before 18.11.4 and 19.x.x before 19.08.1 where a malicious master, or a container with access to vhost_user socket, can send specially crafted VRING_SET_NUM messages, resulting in a memory leak including file descriptors. This flaw could lead to a denial of service condition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-14818 represents a critical memory management flaw within the Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK) framework that affects multiple version streams including 17.x.x prior to 17.11.8, 16.x.x prior to 16.11.10, 18.x.x prior to 18.11.4, and 19.x.x prior to 19.08.1. This issue stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms when processing vhost_user socket communications, specifically targeting the VRING_SET_NUM message handling within the virtualization context. The flaw manifests when malicious entities, either operating as master processes or possessing container-level access to vhost_user sockets, can craft and transmit specially constructed VRING_SET_NUM messages that exploit memory allocation patterns without proper cleanup procedures. This vulnerability falls under CWE-400, which specifically addresses "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for "Endpoint Denial of Service" as it enables adversaries to consume system resources through crafted inputs.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of virtual ring buffer configurations in DPDK's vhost_user implementation where the system fails to properly validate the number of descriptors specified in VRING_SET_NUM messages. When these malformed messages are processed, the DPDK framework allocates memory resources including file descriptors but fails to release them appropriately during error conditions or when the malicious input exceeds expected parameters. This results in progressive memory leakage that accumulates over time, with each malicious message potentially consuming additional memory resources and file descriptor handles. The vulnerability particularly affects virtualized environments where DPDK is deployed for high-performance packet processing, as the memory leak compounds with each malicious interaction, eventually exhausting available system resources and leading to complete service unavailability.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-14818 extends beyond simple resource exhaustion to encompass broader system stability and availability concerns within virtualized infrastructures. Organizations utilizing DPDK for network function virtualization, software-defined networking, or high-performance packet processing applications face significant risk of service disruption when this vulnerability is exploited. The memory leak affects not only the immediate DPDK processes but can also impact the underlying host system's memory management, potentially causing cascading failures in adjacent services or applications that depend on stable memory allocation. Network performance degradation occurs as the system struggles to maintain adequate resources for legitimate traffic processing, while the accumulation of unreleased file descriptors can eventually exhaust system limits and cause additional service failures. This vulnerability particularly impacts cloud environments, containerized applications, and virtual machine deployments where DPDK is commonly implemented for network acceleration and packet processing tasks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-14818 require immediate patching of affected DPDK versions to their respective secure releases, with administrators prioritizing deployment of updated versions that include proper input validation and resource cleanup mechanisms for vhost_user message processing. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to restrict access to vhost_user sockets, limiting exposure to untrusted entities or containers that could potentially exploit this vulnerability. Monitoring systems should be configured to detect anomalous patterns in memory usage and file descriptor consumption that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing proper resource limits and quotas for DPDK processes can help contain the impact of memory leaks even if exploitation occurs. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on suspicious vhost_user message patterns, particularly those involving VRING_SET_NUM commands with unusual descriptor counts. The ATT&CK framework suggests implementing defensive measures such as process monitoring and network traffic analysis to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain operational resilience against this denial of service vulnerability.