CVE-2006-0670 in hcidump
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in l2cap.c in hcidump 1.29 allows remote attackers to caues a denial of service (crash) through a wireless Bluetooth connection via a malformed Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol (L2CAP) packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-0670 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the hcidump utility version 1.29, specifically within the l2cap.c module responsible for processing Bluetooth protocol data. This flaw exists in the handling of Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol packets, which form a fundamental component of the Bluetooth wireless communication stack. The issue arises when the utility processes malformed L2CAP packets received over wireless Bluetooth connections, creating an opportunity for remote exploitation that can result in system instability and denial of service conditions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and boundary checking within the packet parsing logic of hcidump. When processing incoming L2CAP frames, the software fails to properly validate the length and structure of the data contained within these packets before attempting to copy or process the information into fixed-size buffers. This classic buffer overflow scenario occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious L2CAP packet with oversized or malformed data fields that exceed the allocated buffer capacity, causing memory corruption and subsequent program termination. The vulnerability specifically targets the L2CAP layer implementation within the Bluetooth stack, making it particularly dangerous in environments where Bluetooth monitoring tools are actively running.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to systems that rely on hcidump for Bluetooth protocol analysis and monitoring. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can trigger the denial of service condition without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly attractive for attackers seeking to disrupt Bluetooth-based services. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption, as the crash can potentially affect the entire Bluetooth subsystem of affected devices, leading to broader operational consequences for wireless communication infrastructure. The vulnerability affects systems where hcidump is installed and actively monitoring Bluetooth traffic, creating a potential attack surface that could be exploited to compromise network availability and reliability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-0670 should prioritize immediate patching of the hcidump utility to version 1.30 or later, which contains the necessary buffer overflow protections and input validation improvements. Network administrators should also consider implementing firewall rules or access controls that limit Bluetooth traffic to trusted sources, reducing the attack surface available to potential adversaries. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual patterns of Bluetooth packet processing that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a typical example of how protocol parsing errors can lead to denial of service conditions. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique involving network denial of service, where attackers leverage protocol implementation flaws to disrupt system availability. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation strategies to isolate Bluetooth monitoring systems from critical infrastructure, providing additional defense in depth against potential exploitation attempts.