CVE-2004-1706 in USR808054 Wireless Access Point
Summary
by MITRE
The U.S. Robotics USR808054 wireless access point allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via an HTTP GET request with a long version string.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1706 affects the U.S. Robotics USR808054 wireless access point device, representing a critical security flaw that demonstrates poor input validation practices in network infrastructure equipment. This vulnerability resides in the device's web-based management interface where it fails to properly handle excessively long version strings submitted through HTTP GET requests. The flaw constitutes a buffer overflow condition that occurs when the device processes version information without adequate bounds checking, allowing malicious actors to craft specially crafted requests that exceed the allocated buffer space.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient boundary checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The USR808054 device processes HTTP GET requests containing version strings without implementing proper input sanitization or length validation mechanisms. When an attacker submits a request with an overly long version string, the device's web server component attempts to store this data in a fixed-size buffer, causing a stack overflow that ultimately leads to device instability. This vulnerability operates at the application layer within the device's HTTP server implementation, making it accessible over the network without requiring authentication or physical access to the device.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as it potentially enables remote code execution capabilities that could allow attackers to gain unauthorized control over the wireless access point. The device crash resulting from the buffer overflow can be leveraged to disrupt wireless network services, potentially affecting hundreds or thousands of connected devices depending on network architecture. In enterprise environments, this vulnerability could compromise wireless network security and provide attackers with a foothold for further lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability's accessibility over the network means that any remote attacker with knowledge of the device's network address can exploit it, making it particularly dangerous in unsecured or poorly monitored environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate firmware updates from U.S. Robotics to address the buffer overflow condition in the web server component. Network administrators should implement network segmentation and access control measures to limit exposure of wireless access points to untrusted networks while also deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious HTTP GET requests containing unusually long parameter values. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and proper bounds checking in network infrastructure devices, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1210 which covers exploitation of vulnerabilities in network infrastructure components. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous traffic patterns and automatically block requests that exceed normal parameter lengths. Additionally, regular vulnerability assessments and security audits of network infrastructure equipment should be conducted to identify similar buffer overflow conditions in other network devices that may be susceptible to similar exploitation techniques.