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author | Thomas Voss <mail@thomasvoss.com> | 2024-11-27 20:54:24 +0100 |
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committer | Thomas Voss <mail@thomasvoss.com> | 2024-11-27 20:54:24 +0100 |
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tree | e3989f47a7994642eb325063d46e8f08ffa681dc /doc/rfc/rfc5294.txt | |
parent | ea76e11061bda059ae9f9ad130a9895cc85607db (diff) |
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diff --git a/doc/rfc/rfc5294.txt b/doc/rfc/rfc5294.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e20778b --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/rfc/rfc5294.txt @@ -0,0 +1,675 @@ + + + + + + +Network Working Group P. Savola +Request for Comments: 5294 CSC/FUNET +Category: Informational J. Lingard + Arastra + August 2008 + + Host Threats to Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) + +Status of This Memo + + This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does + not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this + memo is unlimited. + +Abstract + + This memo complements the list of multicast infrastructure security + threat analysis documents by describing Protocol Independent + Multicast (PIM) threats specific to router interfaces connecting + hosts. + +Table of Contents + + 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 + 2. Host-Interface PIM Vulnerabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 + 2.1. Nodes May Send Illegitimate PIM Register Messages . . . . 3 + 2.2. Nodes May Become Illegitimate PIM Neighbors . . . . . . . 3 + 2.3. Routers May Accept PIM Messages from Non-Neighbors . . . . 3 + 2.4. An Illegitimate Node May Be Elected as the PIM DR or DF . 3 + 2.4.1. PIM-SM Designated Router Election . . . . . . . . . . 3 + 2.4.2. BIDIR-PIM Designated Forwarder Election . . . . . . . 4 + 2.5. A Node May Become an Illegitimate PIM Asserted + Forwarder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 + 2.6. BIDIR-PIM Does Not Use RPF Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 + 3. On-Link Threats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 + 3.1. Denial-of-Service Attack on the Link . . . . . . . . . . . 5 + 3.2. Denial-of-Service Attack on the Outside . . . . . . . . . 6 + 3.3. Confidentiality, Integrity, or Authorization Violations . 6 + 4. Mitigation Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 + 4.1. Passive Mode for PIM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 + 4.2. Use of IPsec among PIM Routers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 + 4.3. IP Filtering PIM Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 + 4.4. Summary of Vulnerabilities and Mitigation Methods . . . . 8 + 5. Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 + 6. Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 + 7. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 + 7.1. Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 + 7.2. Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 + + + +Savola & Lingard Informational [Page 1] + +RFC 5294 Host Threats to PIM August 2008 + + +1. Introduction + + There has been some analysis of the security threats to the multicast + routing infrastructures [RFC4609], some work on implementing + confidentiality, integrity, and authorization in the multicast + payload [RFC3740], and also some analysis of security threats in + Internet Group Management Protocol/Multicast Listener Discovery + (IGMP/MLD) [DALEY-MAGMA], but no comprehensive analysis of security + threats to PIM at the host-connecting (typically "Local Area + Network") links. + + We define these PIM host threats to include: + + o Nodes using PIM to attack or deny service to hosts on the same + link, + + o Nodes using PIM to attack or deny service to valid multicast + routers on the link, or + + o Nodes using PIM (Register messages) to bypass the controls of + multicast routers on the link. + + The attacking node is typically a host or a host acting as an + illegitimate router. + + A node originating multicast data can disturb existing receivers of + the group on the same link, but this issue is not PIM-specific so it + is out of scope. Subverting legitimate routers is out of scope. + Security implications on multicast routing infrastructure are + described in [RFC4609]. + + This document analyzes the PIM host-interface vulnerabilities, + formulates a few specific threats, proposes some potential ways to + mitigate these problems, and analyzes how well those methods + accomplish fixing the issues. + + It is assumed that the reader is familiar with the basic concepts of + PIM. + + Analysis of PIM-DM [RFC3973] is out of scope of this document. + +2. Host-Interface PIM Vulnerabilities + + This section briefly describes the main attacks against host- + interface PIM signaling, before we get to the actual threats and + mitigation methods in the next sections. + + + + + +Savola & Lingard Informational [Page 2] + +RFC 5294 Host Threats to PIM August 2008 + + + The attacking node may be either a malicious host or an illegitimate + router. + +2.1. Nodes May Send Illegitimate PIM Register Messages + + PIM Register messages are sent unicast, and contain encapsulated + multicast data packets. Malicious hosts or routers could also send + Register messages themselves, for example, to get around rate-limits + or to interfere with foreign Rendezvous Points (RPs), as described in + [RFC4609]. + + The Register message can be targeted to any IP address, whether in or + out of the local PIM domain. The source address may be spoofed, + unless spoofing has been prevented [RFC3704], to create arbitrary + state at the RPs. + +2.2. Nodes May Become Illegitimate PIM Neighbors + + When PIM has been enabled on a router's host interface, any node can + also become a PIM neighbor using PIM Hello messages. Having become a + PIM neighbor in this way, the node is able to send other PIM messages + to the router and may use those messages to attack the router. + +2.3. Routers May Accept PIM Messages from Non-Neighbors + + The PIM-SM (Sparse Mode) specification recommends that PIM messages + other than Hellos should not be accepted, except from valid PIM + neighbors. The Bidirectional-PIM (BIDIR-PIM) specification specifies + that packets from non-neighbors "SHOULD NOT" be accepted; see Section + 5.2 of [RFC5015]. However, the specification does not mandate this, + so some implementations may be susceptible to attack from PIM + messages sent by non-neighbors. + +2.4. An Illegitimate Node May Be Elected as the PIM DR or DF + +2.4.1. PIM-SM Designated Router Election + + In PIM-SM, the Designated Router (DR) on a Local Area Network (LAN) + is responsible for Register-encapsulating data from new sources on + the LAN, and for generating PIM Join/Prune messages on behalf of + group members on the LAN. + + A node that can become a PIM neighbor can also cause itself to be + elected DR, whether or not the DR Priority option is being used in + PIM Hello messages on the LAN. + + + + + + +Savola & Lingard Informational [Page 3] + +RFC 5294 Host Threats to PIM August 2008 + + +2.4.2. BIDIR-PIM Designated Forwarder Election + + In BIDIR-PIM [RFC5015], a Designated Forwarder (DF) is elected per + link. The DF is responsible for forwarding data downstream onto the + link, and also for forwarding data from its link upstream. + + A node that can become a BIDIR-PIM neighbor (this is just like + becoming a PIM neighbor, except that the PIM Hello messages must + include the Bidirectional Capable PIM-Hello option) can cause itself + to be elected DF by sending DF Offer messages with a better metric + than its neighbors. + + There are also some other BIDIR-PIM attacks related to DF election, + including spoofing DF Offer and DF Winner messages (e.g., using a + legitimate router's IP address), making all but the impersonated + router believe that router is the DF. Also, an attacker might + prevent the DF election from converging by sending an infinite + sequence of DF Offer messages. + + For further discussion of BIDIR-PIM threats, we refer to the Security + Considerations section in [RFC5015]. + +2.5. A Node May Become an Illegitimate PIM Asserted Forwarder + + With a PIM Assert message, a router can be elected to be in charge of + forwarding all traffic for a particular (S,G) or (*,G) onto the LAN. + This overrides DR behavior. + + The specification says that Assert messages should only be accepted + from known PIM neighbors, and "SHOULD" be discarded otherwise. So, + either the node must be able to spoof an IP address of a current + neighbor, form a PIM adjacency first, or count on these checks being + disabled. + + The Assert Timer, by default, is 3 minutes; the state must be + refreshed or it will be removed automatically. + + As noted before, it is also possible to spoof an Assert (e.g., using + a legitimate router's IP address) to cause a temporary disruption on + the LAN. + +2.6. BIDIR-PIM Does Not Use RPF Check + + PIM protocols do not perform Reverse Path Forwarding (RPF) check on + the shared tree (e.g., in PIM-SM from the RP to local receivers). On + the other hand, RPF check is performed, e.g., on stub host + interfaces. Because all forwarding in BIDIR-PIM is based on the + shared tree principle, it does not use RPF check to verify that the + + + +Savola & Lingard Informational [Page 4] + +RFC 5294 Host Threats to PIM August 2008 + + + forwarded packets are being received from a "topologically correct" + direction. This has two immediately obvious implications: + + 1. A node may maintain a forwarding loop until the Time to Live + (TTL) runs out by passing packets from interface A to B. This is + not believed to cause significant new risk as with a similar ease + such a node could generate original packets that would loop back + to its other interface. + + 2. A node may spoof source IP addresses in multicast packets it + sends. Other PIM protocols drop such packets when performing the + RPF check. BIDIR-PIM accepts such packets, allowing easier + Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks on the multicast delivery tree + and making the attacker less traceable. + +3. On-Link Threats + + The previous section described some PIM vulnerabilities; this section + gives an overview of the more concrete threats exploiting those + vulnerabilities. + +3.1. Denial-of-Service Attack on the Link + + The easiest attack is to deny the multicast service on the link. + This could mean either not forwarding all (or parts of) multicast + traffic from upstream onto the link, or not registering or forwarding + upstream the multicast transmissions originated on the link. + + These attacks can be done in multiple ways: the most typical one + would be becoming the DR through becoming a neighbor with Hello + messages and winning the DR election. After that, one could, for + example: + + o Not send any PIM Join/Prune messages based on the IGMP reports, or + + o Not forward or register any sourced packets. + + Sending PIM Prune messages may also be an effective attack vector + even if the attacking node is not elected DR, since PIM Prune + messages are accepted from downstream interfaces even if the router + is not a DR. + + An alternative mechanism is to send a PIM Assert message, spoofed to + come from a valid PIM neighbor or non-spoofed if a PIM adjacency has + already been formed. For the particular (S,G) or (*,G) from the + Assert message, this creates the same result as getting elected as a + DR. With BIDIR-PIM, similar attacks can be done by becoming the DF + or by preventing the DF election from converging. + + + +Savola & Lingard Informational [Page 5] + +RFC 5294 Host Threats to PIM August 2008 + + +3.2. Denial-of-Service Attack on the Outside + + It is also possible to perform Denial-of-Service attacks on nodes + beyond the link, especially in environments where a multicast router + and/or a DR is considered to be a trusted node. + + In particular, if DRs perform some form of rate-limiting, for + example, on new Join/Prune messages, becoming a DR and sending those + messages yourself allows one to subvert these restrictions; + therefore, rate-limiting functions need to be deployed at multiple + layers, as described in [RFC4609]. + + In addition, any host can send PIM Register messages on their own, to + whichever RP it wants; further, if unicast RPF (Reverse Path + Forwarding) mechanisms [RFC3704] have not been applied, the packet + may be spoofed. This can be done to get around rate-limits, and/or + to attack remote RPs, and/or to interfere with the integrity of an + ASM group. This attack is also described in [RFC4609]. + + Also, BIDIR-PIM does not prevent nodes from using topologically + incorrect addresses (source address spoofing) making such an attack + more difficult to trace. + +3.3. Confidentiality, Integrity, or Authorization Violations + + Contrary to unicast, any node is able to legitimately receive all + multicast transmission on the link by just adjusting the appropriate + link-layer multicast filters. Confidentiality (if needed) must be + obtained by cryptography. + + If a node can become a DR, it is able to violate the integrity of any + data streams sent by sources on the LAN, by modifying (possibly in + subtle, unnoticeable ways) the packets sent by the sources before + Register-encapsulating them. + + If a node can form a PIM neighbor adjacency or spoof the IP address + of a current neighbor, then if it has external connectivity by some + other means other than the LAN, the node is able to violate the + integrity of any data streams sent by external sources onto the LAN. + It would do this by sending an appropriate Assert message onto the + LAN to prevent the genuine PIM routers forwarding the valid data, + obtaining the multicast traffic via its other connection, and + modifying those data packets before forwarding them onto the LAN. + + In either of the above two cases, the node could operate as normal + for some traffic, while violating integrity for some other traffic. + + + + + +Savola & Lingard Informational [Page 6] + +RFC 5294 Host Threats to PIM August 2008 + + + A more elaborate attack is on authorization. There are some very + questionable models [HAYASHI] where the current multicast + architecture is used to provide paid multicast service, and where the + authorization/authentication is added to the group management + protocols such as IGMP. Needless to say, if a host would be able to + act as a router, it might be possible to perform all kinds of + attacks: subscribe to multicast service without using IGMP (i.e., + without having to pay for it), deny the service for the others on the + same link, etc. In short, to be able to ensure authorization, a + better architecture should be used instead (e.g., [RFC3740]). + +4. Mitigation Methods + + This section lists some ways to mitigate the vulnerabilities and + threats listed in previous sections. + +4.1. Passive Mode for PIM + + The current PIM specification seems to mandate running the PIM Hello + protocol on all PIM-enabled interfaces. Most implementations require + PIM to be enabled on an interface in order to send PIM Register + messages for data sent by sources on that interface or to do any + other PIM processing. + + As described in [RFC4609], running full PIM, with Hello messages and + all, is unnecessary for those stub networks for which only one router + is providing multicast service. Therefore, such implementations + should provide an option to specify that the interface is "passive" + with regard to PIM: no PIM packets are sent or processed (if + received), but hosts can still send and receive multicast on that + interface. + +4.2. Use of IPsec among PIM Routers + + Instead of passive mode, or when multiple PIM routers exist on a + single link, one could also use IPsec to secure the PIM messaging, to + prevent anyone from subverting it. The actual procedures have been + described in [RFC4601] and [LINKLOCAL]. + + However, it is worth noting that setting up IPsec Security + Associations (SAs) manually can be a very tedious process, and the + routers might not even support IPsec; further automatic key + negotiation may not be feasible in these scenarios either. A Group + Domain of Interpretation (GDOI) [RFC3547] server might be able to + mitigate this negotiation. + + + + + + +Savola & Lingard Informational [Page 7] + +RFC 5294 Host Threats to PIM August 2008 + + +4.3. IP Filtering PIM Messages + + To eliminate both the unicast and multicast PIM messages, in similar + scenarios to those for which PIM passive mode is applicable, it might + be possible to block IP protocol 103 (all PIM messages) in an input + access list. This is more effective than PIM passive mode, as this + also blocks Register messages. + + This is also acceptable when there is more than one PIM router on the + link if IPsec is used (because the access-list processing sees the + valid PIM messages as IPsec AH/ESP packets). In this case, unicast + Register messages must also be protected with IPsec or the routing + topology must be such that the link is never used to originate, or + transit unicast Register messages. + + When multiple routers exist on a link, IPsec is not required if it is + possible to prevent hosts from sending PIM messages at the Ethernet + switch (or equivalent) host ports. This could be accomplished in at + least two ways: + + 1. Use IP access lists on the stub routers to allow PIM messages + from the valid neighbor IP addresses only, and implement IP + spoofing prevention at the Ethernet-switch-port level using + proprietary mechanisms, or + + 2. Filter out all PIM messages at configured host ports on Ethernet + switches instead of doing it on the routers. + + The main benefit of this approach is that multiple stub routers can + still communicate through the LAN without IPsec but hosts are not + able to disturb the PIM protocol. The drawback is that Ethernet + switches need to implement much finer-grained IP layer filtering, and + the operational requirements of carefully maintaining these filters + could be significant. + +4.4. Summary of Vulnerabilities and Mitigation Methods + + This section summarizes the vulnerabilities, and how well the + mitigation methods are able to cope with them. + + + + + + + + + + + + +Savola & Lingard Informational [Page 8] + +RFC 5294 Host Threats to PIM August 2008 + + + Summary of vulnerabilities and mitigations: + + +-----+---------------------+-----------------+-----------------+ + | Sec | Vulnerability | One stub router | >1 stub routers | + | | | PASV|IPsec|Filt | PASV|IPsec|Filt | + +-----+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ + | 2.1 | Hosts Registering | N | N+ | Y | N | N+ | Ysw | + +-----+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ + | 2.2 | Invalid Neighbor | Y | Y | Y | * | Y | Ysw | + +-----+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ + | 2.3 | Adjacency Not Reqd | Y | Y | Y | * | Y | Ysw | + +-----+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ + | 2.4 | Invalid DR /DF | Y | Y | Y | * | Y | Ysw | + +-----+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ + | 2.5 | Invalid Forwarder | Y | Y | Y | * | Y | Ysw | + +-----+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ + | 2.6 | No RPF Check (BIDIR)| x | x | x | x | x | x | + +-----+---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ + + Figure 1 + + "*" means Yes if IPsec is used in addition; No otherwise. + + "Ysw" means Yes if IPsec is used in addition or IP filtering is done + on Ethernet switches on all host ports; No otherwise. + + "N+" means that the use of IPsec between the on-link routers does not + protect from this; IPsec would have to be used at RPs. + + "x" means that, with BIDIR-PIM, IP access lists or RPF mechanisms + need to be applied in stub interfaces to prevent originating packets + with topologically incorrect source addresses. This needs to be done + in addition to any other chosen approach. + + To summarize, IP protocol filtering for all PIM messages appears to + be the most complete solution when coupled with the use of IPsec + between the real stub routers when there are more than one of them. + However, IPsec is not required if PIM message filtering or a certain + kind of IP spoofing prevention is applied on all the host ports on + Ethernet switches. If hosts performing registering is not considered + a serious problem, IP protocol filtering and passive-mode PIM seem to + be equivalent approaches. Additionally, if BIDIR-PIM is used, + ingress filtering will need to be applied in stub interfaces to + multicast packets, as well as unicast, to prevent hosts using wrong + source addresses. + + + + + + +Savola & Lingard Informational [Page 9] + +RFC 5294 Host Threats to PIM August 2008 + + +5. Acknowledgements + + Greg Daley and Gopi Durup wrote an excellent analysis of MLD security + issues [DALEY-MAGMA], which gave inspiration in exploring the on-link + PIM threats problem space. + + Ayan Roy-Chowdhury, Beau Williamson, Bharat Joshi, Dino Farinacci, + John Zwiebel, Stig Venaas, Yiqun Cai, and Eric Gray provided good + feedback for this memo. + +6. Security Considerations + + This memo analyzes the threats to the PIM multicast routing protocol + on host interfaces and proposes some possible mitigation techniques. + +7. References + +7.1. Normative References + + [RFC4601] Fenner, B., Handley, M., Holbrook, H., and I. + Kouvelas, "Protocol Independent Multicast - Sparse + Mode (PIM-SM): Protocol Specification (Revised)", + RFC 4601, August 2006. + + [RFC4609] Savola, P., Lehtonen, R., and D. Meyer, "Protocol + Independent Multicast - Sparse Mode (PIM-SM) Multicast + Routing Security Issues and Enhancements", RFC 4609, + October 2006. + + [RFC5015] Handley, M., Kouvelas, I., Speakman, T., and L. + Vicisano, "Bidirectional Protocol Independent + Multicast (BIDIR-PIM)", RFC 5015, October 2007. + +7.2. Informative References + + [DALEY-MAGMA] Daley, G. and J. Combes, "Securing Neighbour Discovery + Proxy Problem Statement", Work in Progress, + February 2008. + + [HAYASHI] Hayashi, T., "Internet Group membership Authentication + Protocol (IGAP)", Work in Progress, August 2003. + + [LINKLOCAL] Atwood, J., Islam, S., and M. Siami, "Authentication + and Confidentiality in PIM-SM Link-local Messages", + Work in Progress, February 2008. + + + + + + +Savola & Lingard Informational [Page 10] + +RFC 5294 Host Threats to PIM August 2008 + + + [RFC3547] Baugher, M., Weis, B., Hardjono, T., and H. Harney, + "The Group Domain of Interpretation", RFC 3547, + July 2003. + + [RFC3704] Baker, F. and P. Savola, "Ingress Filtering for + Multihomed Networks", BCP 84, RFC 3704, March 2004. + + [RFC3740] Hardjono, T. and B. Weis, "The Multicast Group + Security Architecture", RFC 3740, March 2004. + + [RFC3973] Adams, A., Nicholas, J., and W. Siadak, "Protocol + Independent Multicast - Dense Mode (PIM-DM): Protocol + Specification (Revised)", RFC 3973, January 2005. + +Authors' Addresses + + Pekka Savola + CSC - Scientific Computing Ltd. + Espoo + Finland + + EMail: psavola@funet.fi + + + James Lingard + Arastra, Inc. + P.O. Box 10905 + Palo Alto, CA 94303 + USA + + EMail: jchl@arastra.com + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Savola & Lingard Informational [Page 11] + +RFC 5294 Host Threats to PIM August 2008 + + +Full Copyright Statement + + Copyright (C) The IETF Trust (2008). + + This document is subject to the rights, licenses and restrictions + contained in BCP 78, and except as set forth therein, the authors + retain all their rights. + + This document and the information contained herein are provided on an + "AS IS" basis and THE CONTRIBUTOR, THE ORGANIZATION HE/SHE REPRESENTS + OR IS SPONSORED BY (IF ANY), THE INTERNET SOCIETY, THE IETF TRUST AND + THE INTERNET ENGINEERING TASK FORCE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS + OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF + THE INFORMATION HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED + WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Intellectual Property + + The IETF takes no position regarding the validity or scope of any + Intellectual Property Rights or other rights that might be claimed to + pertain to the implementation or use of the technology described in + this document or the extent to which any license under such rights + might or might not be available; nor does it represent that it has + made any independent effort to identify any such rights. Information + on the procedures with respect to rights in RFC documents can be + found in BCP 78 and BCP 79. + + Copies of IPR disclosures made to the IETF Secretariat and any + assurances of licenses to be made available, or the result of an + attempt made to obtain a general license or permission for the use of + such proprietary rights by implementers or users of this + specification can be obtained from the IETF on-line IPR repository at + http://www.ietf.org/ipr. + + The IETF invites any interested party to bring to its attention any + copyrights, patents or patent applications, or other proprietary + rights that may cover technology that may be required to implement + this standard. Please address the information to the IETF at + ietf-ipr@ietf.org. + + + + + + + + + + + + +Savola & Lingard Informational [Page 12] + |