ION-DTN: Improper Initialization
CVE-2024-54129 is a critical-severity improper initialization vulnerability in ION-DTN from Nasa-jpl, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 9.2 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected ION-DTN versions: < 4.1.3s. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.44% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of ION-DTN you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Attack requirements
- NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
- Confidentiality (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Integrity (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Availability (other systems)
- HighSerious loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
The NASA’s Interplanetary Overlay Network (ION) is an implementation of Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN). A vulnerability exists in the version ION-DTN BPv7 implementation version 4.1.3 when receiving a bundle with an improper reference to the imc scheme with valid Service-Specific Part (SSP) in their Previous Node Block. The vulnerability can cause ION to become unresponsive. This vulnerability is fixed in 4.1.3s.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Initialization
The product does not initialize or incorrectly initializes a resource.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, in Java, if the programmer does not explicitly initialize a variable, then the code could produce a compile-time error (if the variable is local) or automatically initialize the variable to the default value for the variable's type. In Perl, if explicit initialization is not performed, then a default value of undef is assigned, which is interpreted as 0, false, or an equivalent value depending on the context in which the variable is accessed.
- Identify all variables and data stores that receive information from external sources, and apply input validation to make sure that they are only initialized to expected values.
- Explicitly initialize all your variables and other data stores, either during declaration or just before the first usage.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other vulnerabilities in ION-DTN
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.2 Critical severity
Recent Improper Initialization vulnerabilities
- 8.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 10.0 Critical severity
- 9.4 Critical severity
- 8.2 High severity
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