CVE-2020-12441 in Service Manager HEAT Remote Control
Summary
by MITRE
Denial-of-Service (DoS) in Ivanti Service Manager HEAT Remote Control 7.4 due to a buffer overflow in the protocol parser of the ‘HEATRemoteService’ agent. The DoS can be triggered by sending a specially crafted network packet.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/07/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-12441 represents a critical denial-of-service condition affecting Ivanti Service Manager HEAT Remote Control version 7.4. This issue manifests within the protocol parser component of the HEATRemoteService agent, which serves as the core communication interface for remote control operations. The affected system operates under the assumption that incoming network packets will conform to expected formats and size limitations, creating a fundamental security gap that adversaries can exploit to disrupt service availability. The vulnerability specifically targets the buffer handling mechanisms within the remote control agent's protocol parsing logic, where insufficient input validation allows maliciously constructed packets to trigger unexpected behavior.
The technical flaw stems from a classic buffer overflow condition occurring in the protocol parser module of the HEATRemoteService agent. When the agent receives network traffic containing specially crafted packets, the parser fails to properly validate the size and structure of incoming data before processing. This allows an attacker to send packets that exceed the allocated buffer space, causing the application to crash or become unresponsive. The vulnerability operates at the network protocol level, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or privileged access. The buffer overflow condition typically results in memory corruption that leads to application termination, forcing the remote control service to restart or become unavailable entirely.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, potentially affecting business continuity and operational efficiency for organizations relying on remote support capabilities. When exploited, the denial-of-service condition can render the HEAT Remote Control service inaccessible to legitimate users, preventing authorized technicians from performing remote diagnostics and support operations. This creates cascading effects throughout IT support workflows, as administrators lose the ability to remotely troubleshoot systems and resolve issues promptly. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where remote access capabilities are critical for maintaining system uptime and supporting distributed workforces. Organizations may experience increased incident response times, reduced productivity, and potential revenue loss due to service interruptions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-12441 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems, as Ivanti has released security updates addressing the buffer overflow condition in subsequent versions of the HEAT Remote Control software. Network administrators should implement firewall rules and access control lists to restrict incoming traffic to the HEATRemoteService agent ports, limiting exposure to unauthorized access attempts. Additionally, monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect unusual traffic patterns or potential exploitation attempts targeting the vulnerable protocol parser. The implementation of intrusion detection systems can help identify malicious packets designed to trigger the buffer overflow condition. Organizations should also consider network segmentation to isolate the HEAT Remote Control service from critical business systems and maintain comprehensive backup and recovery procedures to minimize downtime during remediation efforts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions in stack-based buffers, and represents a typical attack vector categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1499.002 for network denial-of-service attacks, highlighting the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in network service implementations.