CVE-2006-5901 in Wr254-ca Wireless Router
Summary
by MITRE
Hawking Technology wireless router WR254-CA uses a hardcoded IP address among the set of DNS server IP addresses, which could allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service or hijack the router by attacking or spoofing the server at the hardcoded address. NOTE: it could be argued that this issue reflects an inherent limitation of DNS itself, so perhaps it should not be included in CVE.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/27/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-5901 affects the Hawking Technology wireless router model WR254-CA, presenting a significant security weakness in its network configuration that stems from improper DNS server address handling. This particular router implementation incorporates a hardcoded IP address within its DNS server configuration, creating a predictable and static element in the network infrastructure that adversaries can exploit to compromise the device's functionality. The hardcoded nature of this DNS server address represents a fundamental design flaw that violates established security principles for network device configuration management.
The technical flaw manifests through the router's inability to dynamically resolve DNS server addresses, instead relying on a predetermined IP address that remains unchanged regardless of network conditions or security considerations. This hardcoded address becomes a single point of failure and attack vector, as remote attackers can directly target this specific IP address to either disrupt DNS resolution services or attempt to impersonate the legitimate DNS server. The vulnerability creates an environment where network traffic intended for legitimate DNS resolution can be intercepted, modified, or completely blocked, leading to cascading effects throughout the network infrastructure that relies on proper DNS functionality for name resolution.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents multiple attack vectors that can result in either denial of service conditions or full system compromise. When attackers successfully exploit the hardcoded DNS server address, they can perform DNS spoofing attacks that redirect network traffic to malicious endpoints, effectively hijacking the router's network communications. The denial of service aspect occurs when attackers flood or block the hardcoded DNS server address, preventing legitimate DNS resolution and rendering the router incapable of connecting to external services. This vulnerability directly impacts the router's ability to maintain network connectivity and can result in complete network outages for devices connected to the affected router.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with several established threat frameworks and security standards, particularly those addressing weak configuration management and predictable network elements. This issue can be categorized under CWE-259: Use of Hard-coded Passwords and CWE-310: Cryptographic Issues, as the hardcoded IP address creates predictable network elements that reduce the overall security posture of the device. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1071.004: Application Layer Protocol: DNS, where attackers can manipulate DNS traffic through predictable server addresses. Additionally, the issue reflects poor network security practices that violate the principle of least privilege and proper network segmentation, as the hardcoded address creates unnecessary exposure that could be mitigated through dynamic DNS configuration or proper security hardening procedures.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate configuration changes that address the hardcoded DNS server address issue. Network administrators should implement dynamic DNS configuration where possible, ensuring that the router can automatically discover and utilize legitimate DNS servers rather than relying on static addresses. The most effective solution involves updating the router firmware to remove the hardcoded address and enable proper dynamic DNS resolution capabilities. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual DNS traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and establish network segmentation to limit the impact of potential DNS-based attacks. Additionally, regular security assessments should verify that network devices do not contain hardcoded addresses that could serve as attack vectors, ensuring compliance with security baseline requirements and reducing the attack surface for similar vulnerabilities.