CVE-2007-5981 in SCS3200
Summary
by MITRE
Lantronix SCS3200 does not properly handle public-key requests, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (unresponsive device) via unspecified keyscan requests. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/20/2017
The Lantronix SCS3200 device presents a critical vulnerability in its handling of public-key requests that can be exploited by remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks. This vulnerability specifically affects the device's cryptographic key management functionality, where improper processing of keyscan requests leads to system unresponsiveness. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and error handling mechanisms within the device's secure communication protocols, creating a pathway for malicious actors to disrupt normal device operations without requiring authentication or privileged access. The vulnerability operates at the network level where public-key infrastructure components are processed, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered from external network positions.
The technical flaw manifests when the SCS3200 device receives malformed or specially crafted keyscan requests that are not properly validated before processing. This weakness in the cryptographic subsystem allows attackers to send sequences of requests that cause the device to enter an unstable state where it becomes unresponsive to legitimate network traffic and user commands. The device's failure to implement proper bounds checking, input sanitization, or exception handling for public-key operations creates a condition where malformed data can trigger memory corruption or resource exhaustion. This behavior aligns with common software vulnerabilities classified under CWE-129, which deals with improper validation of the length of input data, and CWE-170, concerning improper handling of string termination. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the network stack where cryptographic protocols are implemented, potentially affecting the device's ability to maintain secure connections and process legitimate authentication requests.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability can have significant business impact as the SCS3200 device serves as a network management and monitoring tool that typically operates in critical infrastructure environments. When the device becomes unresponsive due to denial of service attacks, it can disrupt network monitoring capabilities, prevent legitimate administrative access, and potentially create blind spots in network security monitoring. The attack vector requires no special privileges or authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone with network access to the device. Network administrators may experience difficulties in maintaining visibility into network operations and could face challenges in diagnosing the root cause of service disruptions, especially since the vulnerability affects core device functionality rather than just specific applications or services.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate affected devices, deployment of intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious keyscan traffic patterns, and configuration of access controls to limit who can communicate with the device. The device firmware should be updated to the latest available version from Lantronix, though given the age of this vulnerability from 2007, such updates may no longer be available. Network administrators should also consider implementing rate limiting and connection monitoring to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper cryptographic implementation and the need for robust error handling in network devices, particularly those handling security-critical functions. The ATT&CK framework would classify this under T1499.004 for network denial of service, and potentially T1566 for credential access through network services, though the primary impact remains service disruption rather than unauthorized access to system resources.