CVE-2019-16299 in ONOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Open Network Operating System (ONOS) 1.14. In the mobility application (org.onosproject.mobility), the host event listener does not handle the following event types: HOST_ADDED, HOST_REMOVED, HOST_UPDATED. In combination with other applications, this could lead to the absence of intended code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-16299 affects the Open Network Operating System version 1.14, specifically within the mobility application component designated as org.onosproject.mobility. This issue represents a significant gap in event handling mechanisms that could compromise the network operating system's ability to properly respond to host lifecycle changes within the network infrastructure. The affected application fails to implement proper event listeners for three critical host events that are fundamental to network management and monitoring operations.
The technical flaw manifests in the mobility application's inability to process HOST_ADDED, HOST_REMOVED, and HOST_UPDATED events that are typically generated by the ONOS platform when network hosts are dynamically discovered, removed, or modified. This missing event handling creates a potential denial of service scenario where the mobility application cannot properly track host movements and network topology changes. The vulnerability stems from incomplete implementation of the event-driven architecture pattern that ONOS relies upon for maintaining accurate network state information, which falls under CWE-459 - Incomplete Implementation and CWE-703 - Improper Check or Handling of Exceptional Conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple monitoring failures and could lead to critical network management disruptions. When the mobility application cannot properly handle host events, it may result in stale network state information, incorrect forwarding decisions, and potential security gaps where unauthorized devices might not be properly tracked or managed. The combination of this flaw with other ONOS applications creates a cascading effect where network policies and mobility management features become unreliable, potentially allowing malicious actors to exploit the inconsistent network state for unauthorized access or network disruption. This vulnerability directly impacts the ATT&CK technique T1071.004 - Application Layer Protocol: DNS and T1046 - Network Service Scanning by creating conditions where network services cannot properly track host availability and movement.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-16299 should prioritize immediate patching of the ONOS 1.14 platform to ensure proper event handling implementation for the three missing host event types. Network administrators should implement monitoring solutions to detect abnormal network behavior patterns that might indicate the vulnerability's exploitation, particularly focusing on mobility management and host tracking anomalies. The fix should involve comprehensive event listener implementation that properly processes all three host lifecycle events, ensuring that the mobility application maintains consistent network state information. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough testing of their network management workflows to verify that mobility applications properly respond to host events and that network policies are consistently enforced across all network segments. Regular security assessments should include verification of event handling implementations across all ONOS applications to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the network operating system.