CVE-2021-38598 : Security Advisory and Response
Discover how CVE-2021-38598 affects OpenStack Neutron versions, allowing attackers to impersonate hardware addresses, leading to denial of service or interception of network traffic. Learn about mitigation strategies.
This CVE pertains to an issue in OpenStack Neutron versions before 16.4.1, 17.x before 17.1.3, and 18.0.0 that allows hardware address impersonation when using the linuxbridge driver with ebtables-nft on a Netfilter-based platform. This could lead to denial of service or interception of network traffic.
Understanding CVE-2021-38598
This section provides an overview of the vulnerability and its impact.
What is CVE-2021-38598?
OpenStack Neutron versions mentioned above are susceptible to hardware address impersonation, enabling an attacker to impersonate hardware addresses on the network, potentially causing a denial of service or interception of network traffic.
The Impact of CVE-2021-38598
The vulnerability can be exploited by individuals controlling a server instance connected to the virtual switch, allowing them to impersonate hardware addresses of other systems on the network.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-38598
Let's delve into the technical aspects of this CVE.
Vulnerability Description
The issue arises when using the linuxbridge driver with ebtables-nft on a Netfilter-based platform, enabling the impersonation of hardware addresses by sending malicious packets.
Affected Systems and Versions
OpenStack Neutron versions prior to 16.4.1, 17.x before 17.1.3, and 18.0.0 are impacted by this vulnerability.
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers can exploit this flaw by sending carefully crafted packets, allowing them to impersonate hardware addresses and potentially disrupt network communication.
Mitigation and Prevention
Learn how to protect your systems from CVE-2021-38598.
Immediate Steps to Take
Users are advised to update affected OpenStack Neutron instances to versions 16.4.1, 17.1.3, or 18.0.0 to mitigate the risk of hardware address impersonation.
Long-Term Security Practices
Implement network-level security controls and monitoring to detect any unauthorized hardware address impersonation attempts.
Patching and Updates
Regularly apply security patches and updates provided by OpenStack to address known vulnerabilities and enhance overall system security.