CVE-2020-6098 in freeDiameter
Summary
by MITRE
An exploitable denial of service vulnerability exists in the freeDiameter functionality of freeDiameter 1.3.2. A specially crafted Diameter request can trigger a memory corruption resulting in denial-of-service. An attacker can send a malicious packet to trigger this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-6098 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the freeDiameter implementation version 1.3.2. This issue manifests through the processing of specially crafted Diameter protocol requests that can lead to memory corruption conditions. The freeDiameter project serves as an open-source Diameter protocol implementation widely utilized in telecommunications infrastructure for authentication, authorization, and accounting services. The vulnerability specifically affects the software's ability to handle malformed Diameter messages, creating a scenario where legitimate service operations can be disrupted through carefully constructed malicious packets.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the freeDiameter daemon processes a malformed Diameter request that triggers memory corruption within the application's processing pipeline. This memory corruption typically results from inadequate input validation and buffer handling mechanisms within the Diameter message parser. The flaw allows an attacker to craft specific Diameter protocol messages that, when processed by the vulnerable software, cause memory allocation errors or pointer corruption that ultimately leads to application termination. The vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and more specifically relates to CWE-122, heap-based buffer overflow, depending on the exact memory corruption pattern. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by simply sending a malicious Diameter packet to the target system, requiring no authentication or elevated privileges for exploitation.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-6098 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can severely affect telecommunications infrastructure that relies on Diameter protocol implementations for critical network functions. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause the freeDiameter daemon to crash or terminate unexpectedly, resulting in complete service unavailability for authentication, authorization, and accounting operations. This disruption can cascade through network infrastructure, affecting multiple services that depend on Diameter-based communication protocols. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where Diameter servers serve as core components of 3GPP networks, IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) implementations, or other telecommunications systems that require continuous availability. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and represents a significant risk to network availability and service continuity.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-6098 should focus on immediate software updates and implementation of network-level protections. The most effective solution involves upgrading to a patched version of freeDiameter that addresses the memory corruption issues in the Diameter message processing logic. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious Diameter traffic. Additionally, deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed Diameter packets can provide an additional layer of defense. Network administrators should consider implementing rate limiting and connection tracking mechanisms to prevent abuse of the vulnerability. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory safety practices in network protocol implementations, aligning with security standards that emphasize defensive programming techniques and robust error handling to prevent exploitation of similar memory corruption vulnerabilities.