CWE-406: Insufficient Control of Network Message Volume (Network Amplification)
The product does not sufficiently monitor or control transmitted network traffic volume, so that an actor can cause the product to transmit more traffic than should be allowed for that actor.
View on MITREExtended Description
In the absence of a policy to restrict asymmetric resource consumption, the application or system cannot distinguish between legitimate transmissions and traffic intended to serve as an amplifying attack on target systems. Systems can often be configured to restrict the amount of traffic sent out on behalf of a client, based on the client's origin or access level. This is usually defined in a resource allocation policy. In the absence of a mechanism to keep track of transmissions, the system or application can be easily abused to transmit asymmetrically greater traffic than the request or client should be permitted to.
Technical Details
- Structure
- Simple
Applicable To
Security Consequences
Scope
Impact
System resources can be quickly consumed leading to poor application performance or system crash. This may affect network performance and could be used to attack other systems and applications relying on network performance.
Mitigation Strategies
Phase
Description
An application must make network resources available to a client commensurate with the client's access level.
Strategy
Separation of PrivilegePhase
Description
Define a clear policy for network resource allocation and consumption.
Phase
Description
An application must, at all times, keep track of network resources and meter their usage appropriately.
Detection Methods
No detection method information available for this CWE.
Code Examples & CVEs
Demonstrative Examples
This code listens on a port for DNS requests and sends the result to the requesting address.
This code sends a DNS record to a requesting IP address. UDP allows the source IP address to be easily changed ('spoofed'), thus allowing an attacker to redirect responses to a target, which may be then be overwhelmed by the network traffic.
Observed CVE Examples (5)
DNS query with spoofed source address causes more traffic to be returned to spoofed address than was sent by the attacker.
View Detailscomposite: NTP feature generates large responses (high amplification factor) with spoofed UDP source addresses.
View DetailsCWE Relationships
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CWE-406: Insufficient Control of Network Message Volume (Network Amplification)?+
CWE-406: Insufficient Control of Network Message Volume (Network Amplification) is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product does not sufficiently monitor or control transmitted network traffic volume, so that an actor can cause the product to transmit more traffic than should be allowed for that actor. In the absence of a policy to restrict asymmetric resource consumption, the application or system cannot distinguish between legitimate transmissions and traffic intended to serve as an amplifying attack on target systems. Systems can often be configured to restrict the amount of traffic sent out on behalf of a client, based on the client's origin or access level. This is usually defined in a resource allocation policy. In the absence of a mechanism to keep track of transmissions, the system or application can be easily abused to transmit asymmetrically greater traffic than the request or client should be permitted to.
What are the security consequences of Insufficient Control of Network Message Volume (Network Amplification)?+
If exploited, CWE-406 (Insufficient Control of Network Message Volume (Network Amplification)) it can compromise Availability, leading to outcomes such as DoS: Amplification, DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart, DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU), DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory) and DoS: Resource Consumption (Other).
How do you prevent or mitigate Insufficient Control of Network Message Volume (Network Amplification)?+
Recommended mitigations for CWE-406 include: An application must make network resources available to a client commensurate with the client's access level. Define a clear policy for network resource allocation and consumption. An application must, at all times, keep track of network resources and meter their usage appropriately.
Which programming languages are affected by Insufficient Control of Network Message Volume (Network Amplification)?+
CWE-406 commonly affects Not Language-Specific. Note that weaknesses are often language-agnostic patterns, so secure coding practices apply broadly.
What are real-world examples of Insufficient Control of Network Message Volume (Network Amplification)?+
MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-406, including CVE-1999-0513, CVE-1999-1379, CVE-2000-0041, CVE-1999-1066 and CVE-2013-5211. You can look up the full details of each CVE, including CVSS scores and remediation guidance, on our CVE Lookup tool.
What is the difference between a CWE and a CVE?+
A CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) like CWE-406 describes a category of software weakness — the underlying flaw type. A CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) identifies a specific, real-world vulnerability in a particular product. In short, a CWE is the kind of mistake, and a CVE is an instance of that mistake being found in software.