CVE-2004-1163 in CNS Network Registrar Central Configuration Management
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco CNS Network Registrar Central Configuration Management (CCM) server 6.0 through 6.1.1.3 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) by ending a connection after sending a certain sequence of packets.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1163 affects Cisco CNS Network Registrar Central Configuration Management server versions 6.0 through 6.1.1.3, representing a significant security weakness that enables remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks through strategic packet sequencing. This flaw resides within the server's connection handling mechanism, specifically when processing certain packet sequences that occur during connection termination phases. The vulnerability operates by exploiting improper state management and resource handling within the network configuration management server, creating a condition where CPU consumption spirals uncontrollably when targeted connections are terminated in a particular sequence.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic resource exhaustion attack pattern where the CCM server fails to properly manage connection states during the teardown process. When an attacker sends a specific sequence of packets and subsequently terminates the connection, the server enters a loop or consumes excessive CPU cycles in attempting to process the malformed connection termination. This behavior aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes unchecked resource consumption as a fundamental weakness in software design that can lead to denial of service conditions. The flaw essentially creates a resource management gap where the server cannot efficiently handle the transition from active connection state to terminated state, resulting in continuous processing of the same connection termination sequence.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to network infrastructure management systems that rely on Cisco CNS Network Registrar for central configuration management. Organizations utilizing affected server versions face potential disruption of critical network services, as the CPU consumption spike can render the configuration management server unresponsive to legitimate requests. The attack vector requires only remote network access and does not necessitate authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by any external party with network connectivity to the affected server. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability aspect of the CIA triad, potentially causing cascading effects throughout network operations that depend on centralized configuration management.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network denial of service attacks targeting availability. Security practitioners should recognize this as a critical vulnerability requiring immediate attention, particularly in environments where network configuration management systems serve as central points of control. The remediation approach involves implementing proper input validation and connection state management within the server's network processing stack. Organizations should apply Cisco's official security patches and updates as released for this vulnerability, while also implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual CPU consumption patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, providing early warning capabilities for potential attacks targeting this specific vulnerability.