CVE-2019-18601 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

OpenAFS versions prior to 1.6.24 and 1.8.x before 1.8.5 are vulnerable to a denial of service issue due to unserialized data access. Attackers can exploit this by sending specific RPC requests to crash a database server.

Understanding CVE-2019-18601

This CVE involves a vulnerability in OpenAFS that can lead to a denial of service attack.

What is CVE-2019-18601?

OpenAFS versions before 1.6.24 and 1.8.x prior to 1.8.5 are prone to a denial of service risk caused by unserialized data access. Remote attackers can exploit this by executing a sequence of VOTE_Debug RPC requests within the SVOTE_Debug RPC handler.

The Impact of CVE-2019-18601

The vulnerability allows remote attackers to crash a database server, leading to a denial of service condition.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-18601

This section provides detailed technical information about the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in OpenAFS arises from unserialized data access, enabling remote attackers to crash a database server by sending a series of VOTE_Debug RPC requests within the SVOTE_Debug RPC handler.

Affected Systems and Versions

OpenAFS versions prior to 1.6.24
OpenAFS 1.8.x versions before 1.8.5

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by executing a specific sequence of VOTE_Debug RPC requests within the SVOTE_Debug RPC handler.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2019-18601 with these mitigation strategies.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the security update provided by OpenAFS promptly.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity.
Restrict network access to critical servers.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software to prevent vulnerabilities.
Conduct security audits and penetration testing to identify weaknesses.

Patching and Updates

Update OpenAFS to version 1.6.24 or 1.8.5 to mitigate the vulnerability.