CVE-2002-0671 in xpressa
Summary
by MITRE
Pingtel xpressa SIP-based voice-over-IP phone 1.2.5 through 1.2.7.4 downloads phone applications from a web site but can not verify the integrity of the applications, which could allow remote attackers to install Trojan horse applications via DNS spoofing.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0671 affects Pingtel xpressa SIP-based voice-over-IP phones running firmware versions 1.2.5 through 1.2.7.4. This security flaw represents a critical weakness in the device's application update mechanism that fundamentally undermines the integrity and authenticity of software components. The vulnerability stems from the phone's inability to verify the integrity of applications downloaded from remote web servers, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise device security.
This vulnerability operates through a classic trust model failure where the phone system downloads applications from remote servers without implementing cryptographic verification or integrity checks. The flaw allows remote attackers to perform DNS spoofing attacks against the update server, redirecting the phone to malicious servers hosting Trojan horse applications. The attack vector leverages the fundamental weakness in the software update process where no digital signatures or checksum validation mechanisms are implemented to ensure that downloaded applications match their intended source and have not been tampered with during transmission.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. An attacker who successfully executes DNS spoofing against the phone's update server can replace legitimate applications with malicious counterparts that appear authentic to the device. This creates a persistent backdoor for attackers to gain unauthorized access to the phone system, potentially enabling them to monitor communications, manipulate phone settings, or use the device as a pivot point for attacking other network components. The vulnerability essentially transforms the phone into a potential entry point for broader network compromise, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where VoIP systems interconnect with critical infrastructure.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-347, which specifically addresses the lack of proper validation of cryptographic signatures or other integrity checks. The issue also maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for application installation and T1566 for credential access through social engineering or network manipulation. The vulnerability demonstrates poor software design practices that failed to implement proper secure boot mechanisms or application integrity verification protocols. Organizations should implement network-level protections such as DNS security extensions and monitor for unauthorized DNS changes. Additionally, the device firmware should be updated to versions that implement cryptographic verification of downloaded applications, and network administrators should consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of such attacks. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure update mechanisms in IoT and networked devices, where the absence of integrity checks can lead to complete system compromise.