Summary
Affected Products
Details
Impact
Software Versions and Fixes
Obtaining Fixed Software
Workarounds
Exploitation and Public Announcements
Status of This Notice: FINAL
Distribution
Revision History
Cisco Security Procedures
A Cisco device running Internetwork Operating System (IOS) ® and enabled for the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) protocol is vulnerable to a Denial of Service (DoS) attack from a malformed OSPF packet. The OSPF protocol is not enabled by default.
The vulnerability is only present in Cisco IOS release trains based on 12.0S, 12.2, and 12.3. Releases based on 12.0, 12.1 mainlines, and all Cisco IOS images prior to 12.0 are not affected.
Cisco has made free software available to address this vulnerability.
There are workarounds available to mitigate the effects.
This advisory is available at http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/cisco-sa-20040818-ospf.shtml.
This vulnerability was introduced by a code change that was committed to the 12.0S, 12.2, and 12.3 based release trains, causing these trains to be vulnerable. All Cisco devices running a vulnerable release train and running OSPF process are vulnerable.
Some release trains that are not vulnerable are explicitly listed below for clarification. The release trains that are not mentioned below are not vulnerable.
|
Release Train |
Vulnerable Versions |
|---|---|
|
10.x based releases |
Not vulnerable |
|
11.x based releases |
Not vulnerable |
|
12.0 based releases (except for 12.0.S based releases) |
Not vulnerable |
|
12.1 based releases |
Not vulnerable |
|
12.0.S |
12.0(22)S and later |
|
12.0.SX |
12.0(23)SX and later |
|
12.0.SY |
12.0(22)SY and later |
|
12.0.SZ |
12.0(23)SZ and later |
|
12.2 mainline |
Not vulnerable |
|
12.2.B |
12.2(15)B and later |
|
12.2.BC |
12.2(15)BC and later |
|
12.2.BX |
12.2(15)BX and later |
|
12.2.BZ |
12.2(15)BZ and later |
|
12.2.CX |
12.2(15)CX and later |
|
12.2.EW |
12.2(18)EW and later |
|
12.2.MC |
12.2(15)MC1 and later |
|
12.2.S |
12.2(18)S and later |
|
12.2.SE |
12.2(18)SE and later |
|
12.2.SV |
12.2(18)SV and later |
|
12.2.SW |
12.2(18)SW and later |
|
12.2.SZ |
12.2(14)SZ and later |
|
12.2.T |
12.2(15)T and later |
|
12.2.YU |
12.2(11)YU and later |
|
12.2.YV |
12.2(11)YV and later |
|
12.2.ZD |
12.2(13)ZD and later |
|
12.2.ZE |
12.2(13)ZE and later |
|
12.2.ZF |
12.2(13)ZF and later |
|
12.2.ZG |
12.2(13)ZG and later |
|
12.2.ZH |
12.2(13)ZH and later |
|
12.2.ZJ |
12.2(15)ZJ and later |
|
12.2.ZK |
12.2(15)ZK and later |
|
12.2.ZL |
12.2(15)ZL and later |
|
12.2.ZN |
12.2(15)ZN and later |
|
12.2.ZO |
12.2(15)ZO and later |
|
12.3 |
All 12.3 releases |
|
12.3.B |
All 12.3.B releases |
|
12.3.BW |
All 12.3.BW releases |
|
12.3.T |
All 12.3.T releases |
|
12.3.XA |
All 12.3.XA releases |
|
12.3.XB |
All 12.3.XB releases |
|
12.3.XC |
All 12.3.XC releases |
|
12.3.XE |
All 12.3.XE releases |
A Cisco device which is running an OSPF process will have a line in the configuration defining the process number, which can be seen by issuing the command show running-config:
router ospf {process number}
To determine the software running on a Cisco product, log in to the device and issue the show version command to display the system banner. Cisco IOS software will identify itself as "Internetwork Operating System Software" or simply "IOS." On the next line of output, the image name will be displayed between parentheses, followed by "Version" and the Cisco IOS release name. Other Cisco devices will not have the show version command, or will give different output.
The following example identifies a Cisco product running Cisco IOS release 12.0(3) with an installed image name of C2500-IS-L:
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software IOS (TM) 2500 Software (C2500-IS-L), Version 12.0(3), RELEASE SOFTWARE
The release train label is "12.0." The next example shows a product running Cisco IOS release 12.0(2a)T1 with an image name of C2600-JS-MZ:
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software IOS (tm) C2600 Software (C2600-JS-MZ), Version 12.0(2a)T1, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Additional information about Cisco IOS release naming can be found at http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/620/1.html.
OSPF is a routing protocol defined by RFC 2328. It is designed to manage IP routing inside an Autonomous System (AS). OSPF packets use IP protocol number 89.
A vulnerability exists in the processing of an OSPF packet that can be exploited to cause the reload of a system. Several parameters need to be known by an attacker to successfully exploit this vulnerability. These are the OSPF area number, netmask, hello, and dead timers that are configured on the targeted interface.
Since OSPF needs to process unicast packets as well as multicast packets, this vulnerability can be exploited remotely. It is also possible for an attacker to target multiple systems on the local segment at a time.
Using OSPF Authentication as described in the workarounds section can be used to mitigate the effects of this vulnerability. Using OSPF Authentication is a highly recommended security best practice
A Cisco device receiving a malformed OSPF packet will reset and may take several minutes to become fully functional. This vulnerability may be exploited repeatedly resulting in an extended DOS attack. This issue is documented in bug ID CSCec16481.
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability results in a reload of the device. Repeated exploitation could result in a sustained DoS attack.
|
Major Release |
Availability of Repaired Releases* |
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Affected 12.0-Based Release |
Rebuild |
Interim** |
Maintenance |
|
12.0(22)S and later |
12.0(22)S6 |
||
|
12.0(23)S5 |
|||
|
12.0(24)S2c |
|||
|
12.0(24)S4 |
|||
|
12.0(25)S1d |
|||
|
12.0(25)S2 |
|||
|
12.0(26)S1 |
12.0(27)S |
||
|
12.0(23)SX and later |
12.0(25)SX2 |
||
|
12.0(22)SY and later |
Migrate to 12.0(23)S5 or later |
||
|
12.0(23)SZ and later |
12.0(27)SZ |
||
|
Affected 12.2-Based Release |
Rebuild |
Interim** |
Maintenance |
|
12.2(15)B and later |
Migrate to 12.3(4)T or later |
||
|
12.2(15)BC and later |
12.2(15)BC1c |
||
|
12.2(15)BC2 |
|||
|
12.2(15)BX and later |
12.2(16)BX Migrate to 12.3(7)XI1 or later |
||
|
12.2(15)BZ and later |
Migrate to 12.3(7)XI1 or later |
||
|
12.2(15)CX and later |
Migrate to 12.2(15)BC2 or later |
||
|
12.2(18)EW |
12.2(18)EW1 |
||
|
12.2(15)MC1 and later |
12.2(15)MC2a available upon request |
||
|
12.2(18)S and later |
12.2(18)S5 |
12.2(20)S |
|
|
12.2(18)SE and later |
12.2(20)SE |
||
|
12.2(18)SV and later |
12.2(22)SV |
||
|
12.2(18)SW and later |
12.2(20)SW |
||
|
12.2(14)SZ and later |
Migrate to 12.2(20)S4 or later |
||
|
12.2(15)T and later |
12.2(15)T8 |
||
|
12.2(11)YU and later |
Migrate to 12.3(4)T or later |
||
|
12.2(11)YV and later |
Migrate to 12.3(4)T or later |
||
|
12.2(13)ZD and later |
Migrate to 12.3T or later |
||
|
12.2(13)ZE and later |
Migrate to 12.3 or later |
||
|
12.2(13)ZF and later |
Migrate to 12.3(4)T or later |
||
|
12.2(13)ZG and later |
Migrate to 12.3(4)T or later |
||
|
12.2(13)ZH and later |
Migrate to 12.3(4)T or later |
||
|
12.2(15)ZJ and later |
Migrate to 12.3T or later |
||
|
12.2(15)ZK and later |
12.2(15)ZK2 |
||
|
12.2(15)ZL and later |
Migrate to 12.3(7)T or later |
||
|
12.2(15)ZN and later |
Migrate to 12.3(2)T4 or later |
||
|
12.2(15)ZO and later |
Migrate to 12.2(15)T8 or later |
||
|
Affected 12.3-Based Release |
Rebuild |
Interim** |
Maintenance |
|
12.3 |
12.3(3f) |
12.3(5) |
|
|
12.3B |
12.3(5a)B |
||
|
12.3BW |
Migrate to 12.3B or later |
||
|
12.3T |
12.3(2)T4 |
12.3(4)T |
|
|
12.3XA |
Migrate to 12.3(7)T or later |
||
|
12.3XB |
12.3(2)XB3 |
||
|
12.3XC |
Migrate to 12.3(8)T or later |
||
|
12.3XE |
Migrate to 12.3(8)T or later |
||
Customers with contracts should obtain upgraded software through their regular update channels. For most customers, this means that upgrades should be obtained through the Software Center on Cisco's worldwide website at http://www.cisco.com.
Customers whose Cisco products are provided or maintained through prior or existing agreement with third-party support organizations such as Cisco Partners, authorized resellers, or service providers should contact that support organization for assistance with the upgrade, which should be free of charge.
Customers who purchase direct from Cisco but who do not hold a Cisco service contract and customers who purchase through third-party vendors but are unsuccessful at obtaining fixed software through their point of sale should get their upgrades by contacting the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC). TAC contacts are as follows.
Please have your product serial number available and give the URL of this notice as evidence of your entitlement to a free upgrade. Free upgrades for non-contract customers must be requested through the TAC.
Please do not contact either "psirt@cisco.com" or "security-alert@cisco.com" for software upgrades.
The effectiveness of any workaround is dependent on specific customer situations such as product mix, network topology, traffic behavior, and organizational mission. Due to the variety of affected products and releases, customers should consult with their service provider or support organization to ensure any applied workaround is the most appropriate for use in the intended network before it is deployed.
There are multiple workarounds available to mitigate the effects of this vulnerability.
OSPF authentication may be used as a workaround. OSPF packets without a valid key will not be processed. MD5 authentication is highly recommended, due to inherent weaknesses in plain text authentication. With plain text authentication, the authentication key will be sent unencrypted over the network, which can allow an attacker on a local network segment to capture the key by sniffing packets.
Refer to http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/104/25.shtml for more information about OSPF authentication.
Although it is often difficult to block traffic transiting your network, it is possible to identify traffic which should never be allowed to target your infrastructure devices and block that traffic at the border of your network. Infrastructure ACLs are considered a network security best practice and should be considered as a long-term addition to good network security as well as a workaround for this specific vulnerability. The white paper "Protecting Your Core: Infrastructure Protection Access Control Lists" presents guidelines and recommended deployment techniques for infrastructure protection ACLs: http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/iacl.html.
The Cisco PSIRT is not aware of any public announcements or malicious use of the vulnerability described in this advisory.
This advisory will be posted on Cisco's worldwide website at http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/cisco-sa-20040818-ospf.shtml.
In addition to worldwide web posting, a text version of this notice is clear-signed with the Cisco PSIRT PGP key and is posted to the following e-mail and Usenet news recipients.
Future updates of this advisory, if any, will be placed on Cisco's worldwide website, but may or may not be actively announced on mailing lists or newsgroups. Users concerned about this problem are encouraged to check the above URL for any updates.
|
Revision 1.0 |
2004-August-18 |
Initial public release. |
Complete information on reporting security vulnerabilities in Cisco products, obtaining assistance with security incidents, and registering to receive security information from Cisco, is available on Cisco's worldwide website at http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/sec_incident_response.shtml. This includes instructions for press inquiries regarding Cisco security notices. All Cisco security advisories are available at http://www.cisco.com/go/psirt.
All contents are Copyright © 1992-2004 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Important Notices and Privacy Statement.
| Updated: Aug 18, 2004 | Document ID: 61365 |