iDEFENSE Security Advisory 10.02.2002: Net-SNMP DoS Vulnerability

From: David Endler (dendlerat_private)
Date: Wed Oct 02 2002 - 13:14:45 PDT

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    iDEFENSE Security Advisory 10.02.2002: Net-SNMP DoS Vulnerability
    20:00 GMT, October 2, 2002
    
    I. BACKGROUND
    
    The Net-SNMP package, formerly known as ucd-snmp, is a suite of tools
    relating to the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). It
    includes an extensible agent, an SNMP daemon, tools to request or set
    information from SNMP agents, tools to generate and handle SNMP
    traps, a version of the Unix 'netstat' command using SNMP, and a
    graphical Perl/Tk/SNMP based mib browser. More information about the
    package is available at http://net-snmp.sourceforge.net .
    
    II. DESCRIPTION
    
    The SNMP daemon included in the Net-SNMP package can be crashed if it
    attempts to process a specially crafted packet. Exploitation requires
    foreknowledge of a known SNMP community string (either read or
    read/write). This issue potentially affects any Net-SNMP installation
    in which the "public" read-only community string has not been
    changed.
    
    III. ANALYSIS
    
    By sending the SNMP daemon a packet without having first setup a
    session, a vulnerability in the following segment of code from
    agent/snmp_agent.c, handle_var_requests(), line 1,876, can be
    exploited:
    
        for (i = 0; i <= asp->treecache_num; i++) {
            reginfo = asp->treecache[i].subtree->reginfo;
            status = netsnmp_call_handlers(reginfo, asp->reqinfo,
                         asp->treecache[i].requests_begin);
    
    Despite the fact that “asp->treecache_num” is NULL, the “<=”
    comparison in the for() loop allows entry into the block. At this
    point, the SNMP daemon attempts to de-reference a NULL pointer
    leading to a SIGSEGV. Since the SNMP daemon must parse the attack
    packet, an attacker must pass the appropriate ACL (public/read is
    sufficient).
    
    IV. DETECTION
    
    Net-SNMP 5.0.1, 5.0.3 and 5.0.4.pre2 are vulnerable.
    
    V. WORKAROUND/RECOVERY
    
    Restart the affected SNMP daemon to restore normal functionality.
    
    VI. VENDOR FIX/RESPONSE
    
    Net-SNMP 5.0.5 has been released which fixes the described
    vulnerability. It is available at
    http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=12694.
    
    VII. CVE INFORMATION
    
    The Mitre Corp.'s Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) Project
    has assigned the identification number CAN-2002-1170 to this issue. 
    
    VIII. DISCLOSURE TIMELINE
    
    9/01/2002	Issue disclosed to iDEFENSE
    9/24/2002	Maintainer of Net-SNMP notified at
    http://net-snmp.sourceforge.net/ 
    9/24/2002	iDEFENSE clients notified
    9/27/2002	Response received from Wes Hardaker,
    hardakerat_private
    10/1/2002	Vendor fix made available
    10/2/2002	Issue disclosed to public
    
    IX. CREDIT
    
    Andrew Griffiths (andrewgat_private) disclosed this vulnerability to
    iDEFENSE
    
    
    Get paid for security research
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    Subscribe to iDEFENSE Advisories:
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    About iDEFENSE:
    
    iDEFENSE is a global security intelligence company that proactively
    monitors sources throughout the world — from technical
    vulnerabilities and hacker profiling to the spread of viruses and
    other malicious code. iALERT, our security intelligence service,
    provides decision-makers, frontline security professionals and
    network administrators with timely access to actionable intelligence
    and decision support on cyber-related threats. For more information,
    visit http://www.idefense.com.
    
    
    - -dave
    
    David Endler, CISSP
    Director, Technical Intelligence
    iDEFENSE, Inc.
    14151 Newbrook Drive
    Suite 100
    Chantilly, VA 20151
    voice: 703-344-2632
    fax: 703-961-1071
    
    dendlerat_private
    www.idefense.com
    
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