CVE-2005-4220 in RP114
Summary
by MITRE
Netgear RP114, and possibly other versions and devices, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a SYN flood attack between one system on the internal interface and another on the external interface, which temporarily stops routing between the interfaces, as demonstrated using nmap.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4220 affects Netgear RP114 routers and potentially other similar devices within the Netgear product line. This security flaw represents a significant denial of service vulnerability that specifically targets the routing functionality of these network devices. The vulnerability manifests when a malicious attacker exploits the router's handling of network traffic between internal and external interfaces, creating a condition where routing operations become temporarily suspended. This particular weakness demonstrates how network infrastructure devices can be compromised to disrupt normal network operations and communication flows.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves a SYN flood attack that exploits the router's TCP connection handling capabilities. When the malicious attack is executed between one system on the internal network interface and another on the external network interface, the router's routing table processing becomes overwhelmed or enters a state where it cannot properly forward packets between these interfaces. The attack specifically leverages the TCP three-way handshake process, where the router fails to properly manage the connection establishment phase, leading to a complete disruption of routing functionality. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the core routing capabilities of the device rather than just application-level services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromising network availability and business continuity. When the routing between internal and external interfaces is temporarily stopped, network users within the internal network lose access to external resources and services, while external users cannot reach internal network resources. This creates a complete breakdown in network communication that can affect critical business operations, especially in environments where network connectivity is essential for operations. The demonstration using nmap shows that this vulnerability can be easily exploited by anyone with basic network reconnaissance capabilities, making it particularly dangerous in production environments.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which addresses "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption," specifically relating to the router's inability to properly handle network traffic under attack conditions. Additionally, this weakness can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1498, which covers "Network Denial of Service," and more specifically T1499, "Endpoint Denial of Service," as it affects network infrastructure devices. The attack vector demonstrates how network devices can be targeted to disrupt service availability, representing a fundamental security gap in the router's traffic processing capabilities. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation strategies and intrusion detection systems to monitor for such attacks, while also ensuring that all network devices receive timely security updates and patches to address this class of vulnerability. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust network infrastructure security and the need for proper traffic management and resource allocation within network devices to prevent exploitation of such fundamental protocol handling flaws.