CVE-2006-3146 in Bluetooth Stack
Summary
by MITRE
The TOSRFBD.SYS driver for Toshiba Bluetooth Stack 4.00.29 and earlier on Windows allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (reboot) via a L2CAP echo request that triggers an out-of-bounds memory access, similar to "Ping o Death" and as demonstrated by BlueSmack. NOTE: this issue was originally reported for 4.00.23.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-3146 represents a critical flaw in the TOSRFBD.SYS driver component of Toshiba Bluetooth Stack version 4.00.29 and earlier, affecting Windows operating systems. This issue manifests as a remote denial of service condition that can forcibly reboot affected systems, demonstrating the dangerous potential of improperly handled network protocols within wireless communication stacks. The vulnerability specifically targets the L2CAP (Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol) layer of the Bluetooth protocol suite, where the driver fails to properly validate incoming echo requests, creating a pathway for malicious exploitation.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves an out-of-bounds memory access condition that occurs when the TOSRFBD.SYS driver processes L2CAP echo requests. This flaw constitutes a classic buffer overrun scenario where the driver attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, causing system instability and ultimately leading to forced reboots. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level within the Bluetooth stack, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered remotely without requiring local access or authentication. This type of flaw directly maps to CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-129, which covers insufficient validation of array indices, both of which are fundamental memory safety issues in software development.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-3146 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it represents a potential vector for more sophisticated attacks within the broader Bluetooth ecosystem. When exploited through the BlueSmack demonstration, this vulnerability shows how attackers can leverage the inherent design flaws in Bluetooth protocol implementations to create persistent denial of service conditions that can disrupt wireless communications in enterprise and consumer environments. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can target vulnerable systems from considerable distances, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations relying on Bluetooth connectivity. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001, which covers network denial of service attacks, and demonstrates how protocol-level flaws can be weaponized to create system-wide disruptions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate driver updates from Toshiba, as the flaw exists within the proprietary Bluetooth stack implementation. System administrators should prioritize patching to the latest Toshiba Bluetooth Stack versions that address this specific out-of-bounds memory access issue. Network monitoring should include detection of anomalous L2CAP echo request patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts, though this requires specialized tools given the low-level nature of the vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit Bluetooth device exposure and reduce potential attack surfaces. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper input validation and memory management in kernel-level drivers, as demonstrated by the severity of the consequences when these fundamental security principles are violated. This case represents a historical example of how embedded protocol implementations can contain critical flaws that affect entire operating system families, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing of device drivers and system components.