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CVE-2008-1673: Linux Kernel: Buffer overflow

CVE-2008-1673 has a CVSS v2 base score of 10.0 (the maximum on that scale) and affects Linux Kernel, along with 1 other product in NVD’s configuration data. Per its scoring, it can be exploited over the network, without authentication. The scored impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is the highest available.

Vulnerability description

The asn1 implementation in (a) the Linux kernel 2.4 before 2.4.36.6 and 2.6 before 2.6.25.5, as used in the cifs and ip_nat_snmp_basic modules; and (b) the gxsnmp package; does not properly validate length values during decoding of ASN.1 BER data, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) or execute arbitrary code via (1) a length greater than the working buffer, which can lead to an unspecified overflow; (2) an oid length of zero, which can lead to an off-by-one error; or (3) an indefinite length for a primitive encoding.

Severity breakdown

CVSS v2.0 10.0: AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Access vector: Network. Exploitable remotely over the network.
Access complexity: Low. No special conditions are required.
Authentication: None. No authentication is needed.
Confidentiality impact: Complete. Total information disclosure.
Integrity impact: Complete. Total loss of integrity.
Availability impact: Complete. Total shutdown of the component.

Underlying weakness

CWE-119: Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it reads from or writes to a memory location outside the buffer's intended boundary.

Affected products

Linux Kernel: 2.4.0; 2.4.0 test1; 2.4.0 test10; 2.4.0 test11; 2.4.0 test12; 2.4.0 test2; 2.4.0 test3; 2.4.0 test4; 2.4.0 test5; 2.4.0 test6; 2.4.0 test7; 2.4.0 test8
Debian Linux: 4.0