CVE-2007-5361 in OmniPCX
Summary
by MITRE
The Communication Server in Alcatel-Lucent OmniPCX Enterprise 7.1 and earlier caches an IP address during a TFTP request from an IP Touch phone, and uses this IP address as the destination for all subsequent VoIP packets to this phone, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (loss of audio) or intercept voice communications via a crafted TFTP request containing the phone s MAC address in the filename.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5361 affects Alcatel-Lucent OmniPCX Enterprise communication servers version 7.1 and earlier, presenting a significant security risk within voice over internet protocol environments. This flaw resides in the server's handling of TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol) requests from IP Touch phones, creating a persistent cache mechanism that stores IP addresses associated with phone communications. The vulnerability operates through a fundamental design flaw where the system caches an IP address during an initial TFTP request and subsequently utilizes this cached address as the destination for all future VoIP packets directed to that specific phone, establishing a predictable communication path that can be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers craft malicious TFTP requests containing a target phone's MAC address within the filename parameter. This crafted request triggers the caching mechanism, causing the communication server to store an incorrect or attacker-controlled IP address in its cache. When the server subsequently attempts to send VoIP packets to the targeted phone, it routes these packets through the cached IP address rather than the legitimate phone address, effectively disrupting normal communication flows. This behavior creates two primary attack vectors: denial of service through audio loss and active interception of voice communications, as the attacker can manipulate the cached destination address to redirect traffic through their own systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, creating potential for serious security breaches in enterprise communication environments. Organizations utilizing affected Alcatel-Lucent systems face risks including unauthorized surveillance of voice communications, complete loss of audio quality during calls, and potential compromise of the entire VoIP infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the core communication protocols of the system, making it particularly dangerous as it can impact multiple simultaneous calls and potentially affect the integrity of voice data transmission. Network administrators may experience difficulty in identifying the source of communication issues since the disruption appears to originate from legitimate phone addresses rather than from malicious network activity.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses "Information Exposure," and CWE-310, "Cryptographic Issues," as the flawed caching mechanism creates predictable communication patterns that expose the system to manipulation. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1046 Network Service Scanning and T1566 Phishing, as attackers can leverage the predictable routing behavior to establish man-in-the-middle positions. The attack requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that do not maintain strict network segmentation. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability represents a classic case of improper input validation where the system fails to properly validate or sanitize the TFTP filename parameters before using them to influence routing decisions.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate implementation of firmware updates from Alcatel-Lucent to address the caching mechanism flaw, deployment of network segmentation measures to isolate VoIP traffic from general network infrastructure, and implementation of intrusion detection systems specifically designed to monitor for anomalous TFTP request patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing network access controls that restrict TFTP access to authorized systems only, and establish monitoring procedures to detect unusual routing behavior in VoIP communications. Additionally, network administrators should conduct regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar caching mechanisms throughout their communication infrastructure that may present analogous vulnerabilities.