CVE-2007-0521 in K700i
Summary
by MITRE
The Sony Ericsson K700i and W810i phones allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (continual modal dialogs and UI unavailability) by repeatedly trying to OBEX push a file over Bluetooth, as demonstrated by ussp-push.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0521 represents a significant denial of service weakness affecting Sony Ericsson mobile devices, specifically the K700i and W810i models. This flaw resides in the Bluetooth implementation within these smartphones, particularly concerning the OBEX (Object Exchange) protocol handling. The vulnerability manifests when an attacker repeatedly attempts to push files via Bluetooth using the OBEX Push profile, exploiting a design flaw in how these devices process such requests.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the improper handling of repeated OBEX push operations over Bluetooth connections. When multiple file push attempts occur in quick succession, the affected Sony Ericsson phones fail to properly manage the incoming requests, leading to a continuous modal dialog state that consumes system resources and renders the user interface completely unresponsive. This behavior constitutes a classic resource exhaustion attack vector where the device becomes effectively unusable due to its inability to process normal user interactions while handling the malicious OBEX requests.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a severe disruption to device functionality, transforming a mobile phone into a non-functional device for extended periods. The continual modal dialogs prevent users from accessing basic phone functions, including making calls, sending messages, or using any application. This vulnerability particularly affects mobile devices in enterprise environments where reliable communication is critical, as it can render devices unusable for business purposes. The attack requires minimal technical expertise to execute, making it a particularly dangerous flaw for widespread exploitation.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which catalogs weaknesses related to resource exhaustion, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks. The flaw also relates to CWE-399, which covers resource management errors, and represents a failure in proper input validation and error handling within the Bluetooth stack. Organizations should implement network segmentation to prevent unauthorized Bluetooth connections, disable unnecessary Bluetooth services when not in use, and consider firmware updates where available to address the underlying implementation flaws in the OBEX protocol handling. Additionally, mobile device management policies should include restrictions on Bluetooth file sharing capabilities and regular security assessments to identify similar implementation weaknesses in other mobile platforms and device models.