CVE-2004-2629 in V-Gate
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple vulnerabilities in the H.323 protocol implementation for First Virtual Communications Click to Meet Express (when used with H.323 conferencing endpoints), Click to Meet Premier, Conference Server, and V-Gate allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service, as demonstrated by the NISCC/OUSPG PROTOS test suite for the H.225 protocol.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-2629 represents a critical weakness in the H.323 protocol implementation within First Virtual Communications Click to Meet Express and related conferencing systems. This vulnerability affects the H.225 protocol layer which governs call signaling and control in H.323-based video conferencing environments. The flaw manifests as multiple security weaknesses that can be exploited remotely to trigger denial of service conditions, fundamentally compromising the availability of conferencing services. The vulnerability was specifically demonstrated using the NISCC/OUSPG PROTOS test suite, which is a standardized methodology for assessing protocol compliance and identifying security flaws in H.225 implementations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the H.323 protocol stack of the affected First Virtual Communications products. When H.323 conferencing endpoints receive malformed or specially crafted protocol messages, the systems fail to properly process these inputs, leading to system instability and eventual service disruption. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-20, which describes "Improper Input Validation" in software security, where systems fail to properly validate or sanitize input data before processing. The vulnerability's exploitation typically involves sending crafted H.225 messages that cause the affected systems to crash or become unresponsive, effectively preventing legitimate users from participating in conferences.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise entire conferencing infrastructures. Organizations relying on First Virtual Communications Click to Meet Express or related products for business-critical communications may experience significant downtime during exploitation attempts. The vulnerability affects not only individual endpoints but also the broader conference server infrastructure, potentially causing cascading failures that impact multiple participants simultaneously. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to target specific conference sessions or attempt to disrupt organizational communications on a larger scale. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access or network proximity to cause damage, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where conferencing systems are often exposed to external networks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching and network segmentation approaches. Organizations must apply the vendor-provided security updates and patches that address the specific input validation flaws in the H.323 protocol implementation. Network administrators should consider implementing firewall rules that restrict H.323 traffic to trusted sources and monitor for unusual protocol behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers "Endpoint Denial of Service," and organizations should implement monitoring procedures to detect and respond to such attacks. Additionally, implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed H.225 messages and deploying network access controls that limit exposure to the affected services will significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. Regular protocol compliance testing using tools like the NISCC/OUSPG PROTOS suite should be conducted to ensure continued security posture maintenance.