CVE-2007-2037 in Wireless LAN Controller
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) before 3.2.116.21, and 4.0.x before 4.0.155.0, allows remote attackers on a local network to cause a denial of service (device crash) via malformed Ethernet traffic.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2037 affects Cisco Wireless LAN Controller devices operating under specific software versions, creating a significant remote denial of service risk for networks utilizing these wireless infrastructure components. This weakness specifically targets the processing of Ethernet frames within the wireless controller's network stack, where inadequate input validation allows maliciously crafted network traffic to trigger system instability. The affected versions include Cisco WLC software prior to 3.2.116.21 and 4.0.x versions before 4.0.155.0, representing a critical gap in network infrastructure security that could compromise enterprise wireless network availability and reliability.
The technical flaw manifests through the improper handling of malformed Ethernet frames that are transmitted over local network segments where the vulnerable WLC resides. When these controllers receive specially crafted Ethernet packets containing invalid or unexpected frame structures, the device's network processing routines fail to properly validate the incoming traffic, leading to memory corruption or stack overflow conditions. This vulnerability operates at the network protocol level and specifically exploits weaknesses in the Ethernet frame parsing logic within the wireless controller's operating system kernel. The flaw represents a classic buffer overflow condition or improper input validation issue that has been classified under CWE-129 as an insufficient input validation weakness, where the system fails to properly validate the boundaries of input data before processing.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it creates a potential attack vector that could be exploited by adversaries positioned on the same local network segment. Attackers could leverage this weakness to repeatedly send malformed Ethernet frames, causing the wireless controller to crash and restart, thereby disrupting wireless network services for all connected clients. This denial of service condition affects enterprise wireless infrastructure deployments where WLC devices serve as central points for managing wireless access points and user authentication. The impact is particularly severe in environments where wireless connectivity is critical for business operations, as the device crash could result in complete wireless network outages requiring manual intervention for recovery and potentially affecting business continuity.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches that address this vulnerability in the affected WLC software versions. Network segmentation strategies should be employed to isolate wireless controllers from untrusted network segments, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation. Implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect unusual traffic patterns or malformed Ethernet frames could provide early warning of attempted exploitation. Security teams should also consider deploying intrusion detection systems with signature-based detection capabilities specifically designed to identify the patterns associated with this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this weakness under T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service, where adversaries leverage network infrastructure vulnerabilities to disrupt service availability, making this a critical concern for enterprise security operations that must maintain robust network availability and resilience against such attacks.