CVE-2007-4366 in WengoPhone
Summary
by MITRE
WengoPhone 2.1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device crash) via a SIP INVITE message without a Content-Type header.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-4366 represents a classic denial of service weakness in the WengoPhone 2.1 instant messaging and voice over IP client. This issue specifically targets the SIP protocol implementation within the software, where the application fails to properly handle incoming SIP INVITE messages that lack the required Content-Type header field. The absence of this header creates a parsing inconsistency that leads to a device crash or complete application failure, effectively rendering the communication service unavailable to legitimate users. This vulnerability exists at the protocol level and demonstrates a fundamental flaw in input validation and error handling mechanisms within the SIP message processing subsystem.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes it as an Uncontrolled Resource Consumption issue, and more specifically with CWE-129, representing an Out-of-bounds Read condition that occurs when the application attempts to process malformed SIP messages. The flaw manifests when the WengoPhone client receives a SIP INVITE message that does not contain a Content-Type header, which is a standard requirement in SIP protocol implementations according to RFC 3261. The application's failure to properly validate or gracefully handle this missing header results in a memory access violation or buffer overflow condition that terminates the application process. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in communication applications as it can be exploited by attackers to disrupt ongoing conversations or prevent legitimate users from establishing connections.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations relying on WengoPhone for voice communication services. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can potentially disrupt services from anywhere on the network without requiring local access or authentication. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption to include potential business continuity issues, especially in environments where reliable communication is critical. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the application, making it impossible for users to establish or maintain voice calls until the application is restarted. This type of denial of service attack can be particularly effective when combined with other network-level attacks or when targeted against high-availability systems where service interruption could have cascading effects on business operations.
The exploitation of this vulnerability follows patterns consistent with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers Network Denial of Service attacks targeting communication protocols. Security professionals should implement network-level filtering to identify and block SIP INVITE messages lacking Content-Type headers, though this approach may impact legitimate traffic if not carefully configured. The recommended mitigation strategies include updating to a patched version of WengoPhone that properly handles malformed SIP messages, implementing SIP message validation at network boundaries, and deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious SIP traffic patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing rate limiting mechanisms to prevent abuse of the vulnerability and establish monitoring procedures to detect service disruptions that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of robust input validation and error handling in real-time communication applications, particularly those handling SIP protocol messages that are inherently prone to various forms of manipulation and attack.