CVE-2020-1625

The kernel memory usage represented as temp via show system virtual-memory may constantly increase when Integrated Routing and Bridging (IRB) is configured with multiple underlay physical interfaces, and one interface flaps. This memory leak can affect running daemons (processes), leading to an extended Denial of Service (DoS) condition. Usage of temp virtual memory, shown here by a constantly increasing value of outstanding Requests, can be monitored by executing the show system virtual-memory command as shown below: user@junos> show system virtual-memory |match fpc|type|temp fpc0: ————————————————————————– Type InUse MemUse HighUse Requests Size(s) temp 2023 431K - 10551 16,32,64,128,256,512,1024,2048,4096,65536,262144,1048576,2097152,4194304,8388608 fpc1: ————————————————————————– Type InUse MemUse HighUse Requests Size(s) temp 2020 431K - 6460 16,32,64,128,256,512,1024,2048,4096,65536,262144,1048576,2097152,4194304,8388608 user@junos> show system virtual-memory |match fpc|type|temp fpc0: ————————————————————————– Type InUse MemUse HighUse Requests Size(s) temp 2023 431K - 16101 16,32,64,128,256,512,1024,2048,4096,65536,262144,1048576,2097152,4194304,8388608 fpc1: ————————————————————————– Type InUse MemUse HighUse Requests Size(s) temp 2020 431K - 6665 16,32,64,128,256,512,1024,2048,4096,65536,262144,1048576,2097152,4194304,8388608 user@junos> show system virtual-memory |match fpc|type|temp fpc0: ————————————————————————– Type InUse MemUse HighUse Requests Size(s) temp 2023 431K - 21867 16,32,64,128,256,512,1024,2048,4096,65536,262144,1048576,2097152,4194304,8388608 fpc1: ————————————————————————– Type InUse MemUse HighUse Requests Size(s) temp 2020 431K - 6858 16,32,64,128,256,512,1024,2048,4096,65536,262144,1048576,2097152,4194304,8388608 This issue affects Juniper Networks Junos OS: 16.1 versions prior to 16.1R7-S6; 17.1 versions prior to 17.1R2-S11, 17.1R3-S1; 17.2 versions prior to 17.2R2-S8, 17.2R3-S3; 17.2X75 versions prior to 17.2X75-D44; 17.3 versions prior to 17.3R2-S5, 17.3R3-S6; 17.4 versions prior to 17.4R2-S5, 17.4R3; 18.1 versions prior to 18.1R3-S7; 18.2 versions prior to 18.2R2-S5, 18.2R3; 18.2X75 versions prior to 18.2X75-D33, 18.2X75-D411, 18.2X75-D420, 18.2X75-D60; 18.3 versions prior to 18.3R1-S5, 18.3R2-S3, 18.3R3; 18.4 versions prior to 18.4R2-S2, 18.4R3; 19.1 versions prior to 19.1R1-S3, 19.1R2; 19.2 versions prior to 19.2R1-S3, 19.2R2. This issue does not affect Juniper Networks Junos OS 12.3 and 15.1.

Weakness

The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource, thereby enabling an actor to influence the amount of resources consumed, eventually leading to the exhaustion of available resources.

Affected Software

Extended Description

Limited resources include memory, file system storage, database connection pool entries, and CPU. If an attacker can trigger the allocation of these limited resources, but the number or size of the resources is not controlled, then the attacker could cause a denial of service that consumes all available resources. This would prevent valid users from accessing the product, and it could potentially have an impact on the surrounding environment. For example, a memory exhaustion attack against an application could slow down the application as well as its host operating system. There are at least three distinct scenarios which can commonly lead to resource exhaustion:

Resource exhaustion problems are often result due to an incorrect implementation of the following situations:

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

• https://kb.juniper.net/JSA11004
• https://kb.juniper.net/JSA11004