CVE-2024-52063 in Connext Professional
Summary
by MITRE • 12/13/2024
Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow') vulnerability in RTI Connext Professional (Core Libraries, Routing Service) allows Overflow Variables and Tags.This issue affects Connext Professional: from 7.0.0 before 7.3.0.5, from 6.1.0 before 6.1.2.21, from 6.0.0 before 6.0.1.40, from 5.0.0 before 5.3.1.45.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2024
This classic buffer overflow vulnerability in RTI Connext Professional represents a critical security flaw that enables attackers to overwrite memory locations through improper input validation. The vulnerability specifically impacts the Core Libraries and Routing Service components of the RTI Connext Professional software suite, where insufficient size checking allows malicious data to overflow predetermined buffer boundaries. The flaw affects multiple version ranges including 7.0.0 through 7.2.9.9, 6.1.0 through 6.1.2.20, 6.0.0 through 6.0.1.39, and 5.0.0 through 5.3.1.44, making it a widespread concern across several major releases. This vulnerability type falls under CWE-121, which categorizes classic buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write beyond allocated memory regions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the routing service processes incoming data packets containing variable length fields or tags that are not properly validated against predetermined buffer sizes. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious input data that exceeds the allocated buffer capacity, causing data to overwrite adjacent memory locations including stack variables, return addresses, or other critical program state information. The overflow can potentially lead to arbitrary code execution, denial of service conditions, or information disclosure depending on the specific memory corruption patterns. The routing service functionality becomes particularly vulnerable as it processes network traffic and handles various data formats that may contain user-controlled input fields.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system instability to potentially enable complete system compromise within environments relying on RTI Connext Professional for real-time data distribution. Organizations using this middleware in industrial control systems, automotive applications, or aerospace communication networks face significant risk as attackers could exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to critical infrastructure. The timing of exploitation is particularly concerning as it can occur during normal network operations when the routing service processes legitimate traffic, making detection difficult and remediation challenging. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter and T1499.004 for network denial of service, representing both execution and availability threats to affected systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected versions to the latest available releases which include proper buffer size validation and bounds checking mechanisms. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of routing service components to untrusted networks. Additionally, monitoring for unusual network traffic patterns or service disruptions can help detect exploitation attempts. The implementation of address space layout randomization and stack canaries may provide additional defense-in-depth measures, though these are secondary to proper input validation. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of all systems using RTI Connext Professional and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing potential buffer overflow exploitation scenarios. Regular security updates and proper software lifecycle management practices are essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future deployments.