CVE-2001-0413 in X1000
Summary
by MITRE
BinTec X4000 Access router, and possibly other versions, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a SYN port scan, which causes the router to hang.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0413 affects the BinTec X4000 Access router and potentially other similar models, presenting a significant security concern that enables remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks through network scanning techniques. This flaw specifically manifests when the router encounters a SYN port scan, causing the device to become unresponsive and effectively hang, rendering network services unavailable to legitimate users. The vulnerability represents a critical weakness in the router's network processing capabilities and demonstrates poor handling of incoming network traffic patterns that are commonly used for reconnaissance activities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the router's inadequate processing of TCP SYN packets during port scanning activities. When a remote attacker conducts a SYN scan against the router's network interfaces, the device fails to properly manage the connection state information and packet processing routines. This results in a resource exhaustion condition or a deadlock scenario within the router's network stack implementation, causing the system to become unresponsive and requiring manual intervention to restore normal operation. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to exploit the router's TCP/IP stack implementation to disrupt its operational functionality without requiring authentication or specialized privileges.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for network availability and business continuity. Organizations relying on BinTec X4000 routers for network access control face potential service disruption that could affect multiple users and applications depending on the router's role within the network infrastructure. The attack vector is particularly concerning because SYN scanning is a common reconnaissance technique used by both legitimate network administrators and malicious actors for network mapping and vulnerability assessment. This means that the vulnerability could be triggered accidentally during routine network maintenance or deliberately as part of a coordinated attack campaign, making it difficult to predict and prevent.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119, which addresses improper access to memory locations, and represents a classic example of resource exhaustion or state management failure in network devices. From the MITRE ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability enables techniques such as T1498, which involves network denial of service attacks, and T1046, which covers network service scanning. The attack can be classified under the broader category of network infrastructure compromise where attackers exploit device-level vulnerabilities to disrupt services rather than directly accessing application data or systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include implementing network access control lists to filter suspicious SYN scan traffic, deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malformed TCP packets, and applying firmware updates from the vendor when available. Network administrators should also consider implementing rate limiting mechanisms to prevent excessive connection attempts from single sources and ensure that network monitoring tools are configured to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular vulnerability assessments and network scanning should be conducted to identify other potential weaknesses in the network infrastructure that could be exploited in similar ways. Additionally, organizations should maintain detailed incident response procedures for handling device hang conditions and ensure that backup network infrastructure is available to maintain service continuity during remediation efforts.