Tag Archives: Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity

CWE

CWE-407 – Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity

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Description

An algorithm in a product has an inefficient worst-case computational complexity that may be detrimental to system performance and can be triggered by an attacker, typically using crafted manipulations that ensure that the worst case is being reached.

Modes of Introduction:

– Architecture and Design

 

Likelihood of Exploit: Low

 

Related Weaknesses

CWE-405

 

Consequences

Availability: DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU), DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory), DoS: Resource Consumption (Other)

The typical consequence is CPU consumption, but memory consumption and consumption of other resources can also occur.

 

Potential Mitigations

CVE References

  • CVE-2003-0244
    • CPU consumption via inputs that cause many hash table collisions.
  • CVE-2003-0364
    • CPU consumption via inputs that cause many hash table collisions.
  • CVE-2002-1203
    • Product performs unnecessary processing before dropping an invalid packet.
  • CVE-2004-2527
    • Product allows attackers to cause multiple copies of a program to be loaded more quickly than the program can detect that other copies are running, then exit. This type of error should probably have its own category, where teardown takes more time than initialization.
  • CVE-2006-6931
    • Network monitoring system allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption and detection outage) via crafted network traffic, aka a “backtracking attack.”
  • CVE-2006-3380
    • Wiki allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) by performing a diff between large, crafted pages that trigger the worst case algorithmic complexity.
  • CVE-2006-3379
    • Wiki allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) by performing a diff between large, crafted pages that trigger the worst case algorithmic complexity.
  • CVE-2005-2506
    • OS allows attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via crafted Gregorian dates.
  • CVE-2005-1792
    • Memory leak by performing actions faster than the software can clear them.