EUVD-2024-37285

Comprehensive Technical Analysis of EUVD-2024-37285

1. Vulnerability Assessment and Severity Evaluation

The vulnerability EUVD-2024-37285 affects FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP, a lightweight TCP/IP stack for FreeRTOS. Specifically, versions 4.0.0 through 4.1.0 contain a buffer over-read issue in the DNS Response Parser. This vulnerability arises when parsing domain names in a DNS response, where a carefully crafted DNS response with a domain name length value greater than the actual domain name length can cause the parser to read beyond the DNS response buffer.

Severity Evaluation:

• Base Score: 9.6
• Base Score Version: 3.1
• Base Score Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:H

The high base score of 9.6 indicates a critical vulnerability. The CVSS vector breakdown shows that the vulnerability can be exploited over the network (AV:N), requires low complexity (AC:L), and low privileges (PR:L). It does not require user interaction (UI:N), affects the confidentiality (C:H) and availability (A:H) of the system, and has a high impact on the system's integrity (I:N).

2. Potential Attack Vectors and Exploitation Methods

Attack Vectors:

• Network-Based Attack: An attacker can send a specially crafted DNS response to a vulnerable system, exploiting the buffer over-read issue.
• Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attack: An attacker could intercept and modify DNS responses to include the malicious payload.

Exploitation Methods:

• Crafted DNS Response: The attacker crafts a DNS response with a domain name length value greater than the actual domain name length, causing the parser to read beyond the buffer.
• Buffer Over-Read: This can lead to reading sensitive data from adjacent memory locations, potentially exposing confidential information or causing a crash.

3. Affected Systems and Software Versions

Affected Systems:

• Systems using FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP versions 4.0.0 through 4.1.0.
• Applications that utilize the DNS functionality of the FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP stack.

Unaffected Systems:

• Applications that do not use DNS functionality, even if the DNS functionality is enabled.
• Systems running FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP version 4.1.1 or later.

4. Recommended Mitigation Strategies

Immediate Actions:

• Upgrade: Upgrade to FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP version 4.1.1 or later, which includes the patch for this vulnerability.
• Disable DNS: If upgrading is not immediately possible, disable DNS functionality if it is not required.

Long-Term Strategies:

• Regular Patching: Implement a regular patching and update schedule for all software components.
• Network Monitoring: Use network monitoring tools to detect and block malicious DNS responses.
• Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): Deploy IDS to identify and respond to suspicious network activities.

5. Impact on European Cybersecurity Landscape

The vulnerability poses a significant risk to IoT devices and embedded systems that rely on FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP for network communication. Given the widespread use of FreeRTOS in various industries, including healthcare, automotive, and industrial control systems, the impact could be far-reaching. Unpatched systems could be exploited to disrupt critical infrastructure, leading to potential data breaches, service outages, and financial losses.

6. Technical Details for Security Professionals

Vulnerability Details:

• Type: Buffer Over-Read
• Location: DNS Response Parser
• Trigger: Domain name length value greater than the actual domain name length in a DNS response.

Exploitation:

• Payload: Crafted DNS response with a manipulated domain name length value.
• Impact: Reading beyond the DNS response buffer, potentially exposing sensitive data or causing a crash.

Detection:

• Network Traffic Analysis: Monitor for unusual DNS responses with abnormal domain name length values.
• Memory Analysis: Check for out-of-bounds memory accesses in the DNS Response Parser.

References:

• GitHub Security Advisory
• FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP Release Notes

Aliases:

• CVE-2024-38373

Assigner:

• GitHub_M

EPSS:

• N/A

ENISA ID Product:

• FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP versions 4.0.0, ≤ 4.1.0

ENISA ID Vendor:

• FreeRTOS

By addressing this vulnerability promptly and implementing robust mitigation strategies, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation and ensure the security and stability of their systems.