CVE-2015-7701: High severity ntp vulnerability
A memory leak flaw was found in ntpd's CRYPTOASSOC. If ntpd is configured to use autokey authentication, an attacker could send packets to ntpd that would, after several days of ongoing attack, cause it to run out of memory.
Mitigation:
Disable NTP autokey authentication by removing, or commenting out, all configuration directives beginning with the 'crypto' keyword in your ntp.conf file.
External References:
https://github.com/ntp-project/ntp/blob/stable/NEWS#L91 http://support.ntp.org/bin/view/Main/SecurityNotice#October2015NTPSecurityVulner
Other sources
Memory leak in the CRYPTOASSOC function in ntpd in NTP 4.2.x before 4.2.8p4, and 4.3.x before 4.3.77 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption).
— MITRE
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2015-7701?
CVE-2015-7701 is considered a moderate severity vulnerability due to the potential for a memory leak that can lead to exhaustion of resources.
How do I fix CVE-2015-7701?
To fix CVE-2015-7701, disable NTP autokey authentication by either removing or commenting out the relevant configuration.
What software is affected by CVE-2015-7701?
CVE-2015-7701 affects NTP versions prior to 4.2.8 and versions between 4.3.0 and 4.3.77.
Can CVE-2015-7701 be exploited remotely?
Yes, CVE-2015-7701 can be exploited remotely if the NTP daemon is configured to use autokey authentication.
What impact does CVE-2015-7701 have on systems?
The impact of CVE-2015-7701 can lead to service downtime as it may cause the NTP daemon to run out of memory after prolonged attacks.