CVE-2018-5391

The Linux kernel, versions 3.9+, is vulnerable to a denial of service attack with low rates of specially modified packets targeting IP fragment re-assembly. An attacker may cause a denial of service condition by sending specially crafted IP fragments. Various vulnerabilities in IP fragmentation have been discovered and fixed over the years. The current vulnerability (CVE-2018-5391) became exploitable in the Linux kernel with the increase of the IP fragment reassembly queue size.

Weakness

The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.

Affected Software

Potential Mitigations

• Mitigation of resource exhaustion attacks requires that the target system either:

• The first of these solutions is an issue in itself though, since it may allow attackers to prevent the use of the system by a particular valid user. If the attacker impersonates the valid user, they may be able to prevent the user from accessing the server in question.

• The second solution is simply difficult to effectively institute – and even when properly done, it does not provide a full solution. It simply makes the attack require more resources on the part of the attacker.

Related Attack Patterns

• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/147.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/227.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/492.html

References

• http://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/alert/ARUBA-PSA-2018-004.txt
• http://www.huawei.com/en/psirt/security-advisories/huawei-sa-20200115-01-linux-en
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/06/28/2
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/07/06/3
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/07/06/4
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105108
• http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041476
• http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041637
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2785
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2791
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2846
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2924
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2925
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2933
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2948
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3083
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3096
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3459
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3540
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3586
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3590
• https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-377115.pdf
• https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/davem/net-next.git/commit/?id=c30f1fc041b74ecdb072dd44f858750414b8b19f
• https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/08/msg00014.html
• https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/03/msg00017.html
• https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20181003-0002/
• https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K74374841?utm_source=f5support\u0026amp%3Butm_medium=RSS
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3740-1/
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3740-2/
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3741-1/
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3741-2/
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3742-1/
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3742-2/
• https://www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4272
• https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/641765
• http://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/alert/ARUBA-PSA-2018-004.txt
• http://www.huawei.com/en/psirt/security-advisories/huawei-sa-20200115-01-linux-en
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/06/28/2
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/07/06/3
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/07/06/4
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105108
• http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041476
• http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041637
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2785
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2791
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2846
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2924
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2925
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2933
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2948
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3083
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3096
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3459
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3540
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3586
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3590
• https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-377115.pdf
• https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/davem/net-next.git/commit/?id=c30f1fc041b74ecdb072dd44f858750414b8b19f
• https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/08/msg00014.html
• https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/03/msg00017.html
• https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20181003-0002/
• https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K74374841?utm_source=f5support\u0026amp%3Butm_medium=RSS
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3740-1/
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3740-2/
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3741-1/
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3741-2/
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3742-1/
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3742-2/
• https://www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4272
• https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/641765