CVE-2005-0895 in 1300NB
Summary
by MITRE
Netcomm 1300NB DSL Modem allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device hang) via a large number of ping packets.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/05/2024
The CVE-2005-0895 vulnerability affects the Netcomm 1300NB DSL modem, a network device commonly used for internet connectivity in residential and small office environments. This vulnerability represents a classic denial of service flaw that exploits the device's insufficient input validation mechanisms when processing network traffic. The vulnerability specifically targets the modem's handling of ping packets, which are standard network diagnostic tools used to test connectivity between devices. The issue arises from the device's inability to properly manage or limit the volume of incoming ping requests, leading to resource exhaustion and subsequent device instability.
The technical flaw manifests when an attacker sends a large volume of ping packets to the affected modem, overwhelming its processing capabilities and causing the device to become unresponsive or completely hang. This occurs due to inadequate buffer management and lack of rate limiting mechanisms within the modem's network protocol stack. The vulnerability operates at the network layer, specifically affecting the Internet Control Message Protocol implementation within the device's firmware. The modem's operating system fails to implement proper packet filtering or rate limiting controls, allowing malicious actors to flood the device with ping requests that consume available memory and processing resources.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to network availability and service continuity. When exploited, the device hang condition renders the entire network connection unusable until manual intervention occurs, requiring physical access to the modem for rebooting or power cycling. The impact extends beyond simple connectivity disruption as it affects all network services dependent on the modem's functionality, including internet access, VoIP communications, and any other applications requiring network connectivity. Network administrators may experience extended downtime during which critical business operations are disrupted, particularly in environments where the modem serves as the primary internet gateway.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which addresses "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption," and represents a form of resource exhaustion attack that can be classified under the broader category of denial of service conditions. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability fits within the ATT&CK technique T1499.004, "Endpoint Denial of Service," where adversaries target network infrastructure devices to disrupt service availability. The attack vector requires minimal technical expertise and can be executed using standard network tools such as ping utilities or specialized flooding tools, making it particularly dangerous due to its accessibility and effectiveness. Organizations should implement network segmentation and firewall rules to limit ping traffic to internal networks, while also ensuring firmware updates are applied to address known vulnerabilities in network infrastructure devices.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate firmware updates from the manufacturer, network access control lists to restrict ping traffic, and monitoring systems to detect unusual traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Network administrators should also consider implementing rate limiting mechanisms at network boundaries to prevent overwhelming individual devices with excessive ping requests. Regular vulnerability assessments of network infrastructure components are essential to identify and remediate similar weaknesses that may exist in other network devices within the organization's ecosystem. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of robust input validation and resource management in embedded network devices, highlighting the need for security by design principles in all network infrastructure components.