Re: cisco local director DOS.

From: Jeremy M. Guthrie (guthrieat_private)
Date: Tue Jul 24 2001 - 19:58:37 PDT

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    On Monday 23 July 2001 17:43, you wrote:
    > Bugtraq,
    >
    > If your Cisco local directors are configured to do all port mappings (0:0)
    > and not port-bound virtuals (port-to-port mappings), you can easily DOS
    > the local director by causing the "no answer reassign" to surpass its
    > default threshold counter of 8.
    > By port scanning a 0:0 VIP where the real servers are not listening
    > to all ports, you can easily cause the "no answer reassign" counter to
    > surpass the threshold which takes the real machine out of service.
    
    Couple things:
    A)  yes, pounding non-answering ports on a wildcard LocalDirector 
    virtual/real definition can cause the virtual/real to go down.
    B)  No one in their right mind should setup a 0:0:tcp/0:0:udp real/virtual 
    and NOT have a firewall in front of it.
    C)  Autounfail   <-main point
    http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/iaabu/localdir/ldv42/421guide/42ch05.htm#xtocid856512
    Autounfail should keep busy sites up and running.  As long as data is getting 
    served, the 'failed' real should come back in service.
    
    In any case, I'm not sure this warrants a bugtraq notice.  If someone has 
    configured a LocalDirector in a obviously dangerous matter such as the thread 
    describes, odds are they don't understand bugtraq.  Anyway, It's like saying 
    the following is dangerous on a Pix:
    conduit permit ip any any
    
    Sure it lets hosts communicate but... who in their right mind would use 
    it?!?!?!?
    
    >
    > During non-peak times when the amount of valid connections coming in
    > are limited, the threshold does not reset itself in time.  Once you have
    > done this with all real servers in the VIP, the VIP will be unresponsive.
    > You must reset the VIP to make it active again.  This could be a harmful
    > DOS on larger sites that have not configured their LDs correctly.
    >
    > I have spoken to Cisco, they do relize the possibility of a DOS.
    > They recommend that people use port-bound virtuals, otherwise ensure
    > that your VIPs are firewalled in front of the LD.  Cisco noted they did
    > not see any special notes regarding security implications of not using
    > port-bound virtuals in their latest documentation.
    >
    > This is just an FYI as local directors have a significant share of the
    > content switching market.  This could also be a tough one to troubleshoot.
    
    
    -- 
    Jeremy M. Guthrie
    Systems Engineer
    Berbee
    5520 Research Park Dr.
    Madison, WI  53711
    Phone:  608-298-1061
    
    Berbee...putting the "E" in business
    



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