CVE-2020-17438 : Security Advisory and Response
Discover the impact of CVE-2020-17438, a vulnerability in uIP 1.0 used in Contiki 3.0 and other products. Learn about the exploitation, affected systems, and mitigation steps.
An issue was discovered in uIP 1.0, as used in Contiki 3.0 and other products. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial of service or potentially execute arbitrary code.
Understanding CVE-2020-17438
This CVE involves a flaw in the reassembly of fragmented packets in uIP 1.0, leading to a security issue that can be exploited by attackers.
What is CVE-2020-17438?
The vulnerability in uIP 1.0 allows attackers to manipulate specific values in the IP header of a crafted packet, enabling them to overwrite the .bss section of the program and trigger a denial of service in uip_reass() in uip.c. In some cases, attackers could also execute arbitrary code on certain target architectures.
The Impact of CVE-2020-17438
The exploitation of this vulnerability can result in a denial of service condition in the affected uIP library, potentially leading to system crashes or unauthorized code execution.
Technical Details of CVE-2020-17438
This section provides more in-depth technical insights into the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
The issue arises from the failure to properly validate the total length of an incoming packet specified in its IP header and the fragmentation offset value, allowing attackers to write beyond the allocated buffer.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Products: Not applicable
- Vendor: Not applicable
- Versions: Not applicable
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a packet with specific IP header length and fragmentation offset values to overwrite the .bss section of the program.
Mitigation and Prevention
Protecting systems from CVE-2020-17438 requires immediate actions and long-term security measures.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply vendor patches or updates if available
- Implement network segmentation to limit exposure
- Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activities
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update and patch software and firmware
- Conduct security assessments and penetration testing
- Educate users on safe computing practices
Patching and Updates
Ensure that the affected systems are updated with the latest patches provided by the vendor to mitigate the vulnerability.