CVE-2007-4293 in IOS
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco IOS 12.0 through 12.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device crash) via (1) "abnormal" MGCP messages, aka CSCsd81407; and (2) a large facsimile packet, aka CSCej20505.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2019
Cisco IOS versions 12.0 through 12.4 contain critical vulnerabilities that enable remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks against network devices. The first vulnerability involves abnormal Media Gateway Control Protocol messages that can cause device crashes, while the second vulnerability stems from processing large facsimile packets that also results in system instability and potential device failure. These flaws represent significant security weaknesses in the telecommunications infrastructure that could be exploited by malicious actors to disrupt network services. The Media Gateway Control Protocol vulnerability specifically targets the MGCP implementation within Cisco IOS, where malformed or unexpected message sequences can trigger buffer overflows or memory corruption conditions that lead to system crashes. This represents a classic example of inadequate input validation and error handling within network protocol implementations. The facsimile packet vulnerability demonstrates similar issues with packet size handling, where oversized data packets are not properly validated or limited before processing, leading to resource exhaustion and system instability. Both vulnerabilities fall under the broader category of denial of service attacks that can be executed remotely without authentication, making them particularly dangerous in production environments where network availability is critical. The impact of these vulnerabilities extends beyond simple service disruption, as device crashes can result in extended network outages that affect multiple services and users. From a cybersecurity perspective, these issues highlight the importance of robust input validation and proper resource management in network operating systems. The vulnerabilities align with CWE-129 which addresses improper validation of input boundaries, and CWE-121 which covers buffer overflow conditions. According to ATT&CK framework, these flaws map to T1499.004 which covers network disruption and T1595.001 which involves network scanning and reconnaissance that could lead to exploitation. The affected Cisco IOS versions represent a broad range of network equipment that would be vulnerable to these attacks, including routers, switches, and other network infrastructure components. Organizations running these vulnerable versions face significant risk as attackers can exploit these weaknesses to cause cascading failures in network operations, particularly in mission-critical environments where network uptime is essential. The remote exploitability of these vulnerabilities means that attackers do not need physical access or network credentials to cause damage, making the attack surface particularly broad. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected devices, implementation of network segmentation to limit exposure, and deployment of intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious MGCP traffic patterns. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing rate limiting and packet size restrictions to prevent exploitation of the facsimile packet vulnerability. The vulnerabilities demonstrate the critical need for comprehensive security testing of network protocols and proper error handling in operating systems to prevent exploitation of resource management flaws that could lead to system-wide failures and service disruption across entire network infrastructures.