CVE-2007-1338 in AirPort Extreme
Summary
by MITRE
The default configuration of the AirPort utility in Apple AirPort Extreme creates an IPv6 tunnel but does not enable the "Block incoming IPv6 connections" setting, which might allow remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions by establishing IPv6 sessions that would have been rejected over IPv4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-1338 represents a critical network security flaw in Apple AirPort Extreme wireless access points that stems from improper default security configurations. This issue specifically affects the AirPort utility's handling of IPv6 networking protocols, creating an unintended pathway for attackers to circumvent established network access controls. The flaw manifests when the device establishes IPv6 tunnels without properly implementing the necessary security measures that would normally block incoming IPv6 connections, effectively creating a backdoor that bypasses the intended IPv4-based access restrictions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the AirPort Extreme's default configuration where IPv6 tunneling is enabled but the corresponding security controls are disabled. This creates a scenario where network administrators might expect IPv4-based access restrictions to apply uniformly across all network protocols, but IPv6 connections can establish sessions that would have been rejected under IPv4 rules. The underlying architectural issue lies in the lack of proper protocol isolation between IPv4 and IPv6 implementations within the AirPort utility's security framework, allowing attackers to leverage IPv6's inherent characteristics to gain unauthorized network access.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to network security posture as it enables remote attackers to exploit the IPv6 tunneling capability without requiring additional authentication or authorization mechanisms that would normally be required for IPv4 connections. The impact extends beyond simple access bypass to potentially allow attackers to establish persistent network sessions, conduct reconnaissance activities, or launch further attacks against internal network resources that would otherwise be protected by IPv4-based access controls. This represents a classic case of protocol-level security misconfiguration that can undermine the effectiveness of network segmentation and access control policies.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-693, which addresses protection mechanism failures, specifically in the context of protocol-level security controls. It also maps to ATT&CK technique T1046, where adversaries use network service scanning to identify accessible services, potentially leveraging the IPv6 tunneling capability to bypass traditional network monitoring and access control mechanisms. The flaw demonstrates how default configurations can create security weaknesses that persist even when administrators implement proper security policies for one protocol family while neglecting the implications for other protocols.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate configuration changes to enable the "Block incoming IPv6 connections" setting within the AirPort utility, ensuring that IPv6 traffic is properly filtered according to existing security policies. Network administrators should also implement comprehensive network segmentation strategies that account for both IPv4 and IPv6 protocols, ensuring that access controls are consistently applied across all network addressing schemes. Additionally, regular security audits should verify that default configurations are properly hardened and that all network protocols are subject to the same security requirements. Organizations should consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect and alert on unauthorized IPv6 tunneling activities, providing visibility into potential exploitation attempts that leverage this specific vulnerability.