CVE-2005-3989 in TN2602AP IP Media Resource 320 circuit pack
Summary
by MITRE
Memory leak in Avaya TN2602AP IP Media Resource 320 circuit pack before vintage 9 firmware allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via crafted VoIP packets.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/26/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3989 affects the Avaya TN2602AP IP Media Resource 320 circuit pack, specifically targeting devices running firmware versions prior to vintage 9. This memory leak vulnerability represents a significant security concern within telephony infrastructure, as it exposes critical network components to potential denial of service attacks through remote exploitation. The affected device operates within the realm of voice over internet protocol communications, making it a crucial element in enterprise and telecommunications networks where reliable voice services are paramount.
The technical flaw manifests as a memory leak within the packet processing mechanism of the circuit pack's firmware implementation. When remote attackers craft and transmit specially designed VoIP packets to the vulnerable device, the system fails to properly release allocated memory resources during packet processing operations. This improper memory management creates a progressive accumulation of memory consumption over time, ultimately leading to system instability and service disruption. The vulnerability operates at the protocol level, specifically targeting the handling of media streams and signaling information within the VoIP communication framework, which aligns with CWE-401 weakness classification for improper management of memory allocation and deallocation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service degradation, as it can potentially compromise the entire telephony infrastructure that relies on the affected circuit pack. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness without requiring authentication or physical access to the device, making it particularly dangerous in network environments where security controls may be insufficient. The memory consumption pattern typically results in gradual performance degradation followed by complete system failure, effectively rendering the voice communication capabilities of the affected network segment unavailable. This type of attack directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the denial of service category, specifically targeting network infrastructure components to disrupt legitimate service delivery.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates to version 9 or later, which contain the necessary memory management fixes. Network administrators should implement monitoring systems to detect unusual memory consumption patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, and establish network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful attacks. Additionally, implementing rate limiting and packet filtering mechanisms at network boundaries can help reduce the effectiveness of memory exhaustion attacks while maintaining legitimate service availability. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their telephony infrastructure to identify other potentially affected devices and implement comprehensive security monitoring protocols to detect and respond to similar exploitation attempts.