CVE-2023-41358 in FRRouting
Summary
by MITRE • 08/29/2023
An issue was discovered in FRRouting FRR through 9.0. bgpd/bgp_packet.c processes NLRIs if the attribute length is zero.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-41358 affects FRRouting FRR versions up to and including 9.0 where the bgpd component fails to properly validate attribute length fields when processing Network Layer Reachability Information. This flaw exists within the bgp_packet.c file which handles the parsing of BGP update messages containing NLRI data. The issue occurs when the attribute length field is set to zero, creating a condition where the system attempts to process NLRI information without proper validation of the surrounding attribute structure.
This vulnerability represents a classic case of insufficient input validation and can be classified under CWE-129 as an insufficient input validation error. The flaw allows for potential buffer over-read conditions and arbitrary code execution when malicious BGP packets are processed by the affected routing daemon. The improper handling of zero-length attribute fields creates a path where the BGP daemon may attempt to access memory locations beyond the intended data boundaries, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for network infrastructure relying on FRRouting as their BGP implementation. Network devices running affected versions of FRRouting are susceptible to denial of service attacks that could cause the bgpd process to crash or behave unpredictably. Attackers could craft malicious BGP update messages with zero-length attribute fields to trigger the vulnerability, potentially disrupting routing operations and causing network instability. This risk is particularly concerning in production environments where BGP routing updates are constantly flowing between network devices and where any disruption could cascade across the entire network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of affected FRRouting installations to version 9.1 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed. Network administrators should also implement BGP session filtering and validation mechanisms to detect and drop malformed BGP updates before they reach the vulnerable processing code. The implementation of proper attribute length validation checks and input sanitization within the BGP packet processing pipeline would align with ATT&CK technique T1590 for reconnaissance and T1071 for application layer protocol usage. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring of BGP traffic can help detect anomalous patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure rapid deployment of security updates across their routing infrastructure.