CVE-2008-2057 in PIX
Summary
by MITRE
The Instant Messenger (IM) inspection engine in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Cisco PIX security appliance 7.2.x before 7.2(4), 8.0.x before 8.0(3)10, and 8.1.x before 8.1(1)2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a crafted packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2057 affects the Instant Messenger inspection engine within Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance and Cisco PIX security appliances running specific software versions. This flaw represents a critical denial of service vulnerability that can be exploited by remote attackers to disrupt network services. The affected versions include ASA and PIX appliances running software releases 7.2.x before 7.2(4), 8.0.x before 8.0(3)10, and 8.1.x before 8.1(1)2, making it a widespread issue across multiple product lines and software families.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of crafted packets within the IM inspection engine component. When the appliance receives specially constructed packets designed to exploit this flaw, the inspection engine fails to properly process these malformed inputs, leading to system instability and eventual service disruption. The flaw specifically impacts how the appliance handles certain packet structures that are commonly used in instant messaging protocols, particularly those that may be encountered in enterprise environments where such communication protocols are actively utilized.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations relying on Cisco security appliances for network protection. A successful exploitation can result in complete service disruption, forcing network administrators to implement emergency response procedures and potentially causing extended downtime for critical business applications. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this vulnerability from outside the network perimeter without requiring local access or authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with exposed network infrastructure. This type of denial of service vulnerability directly violates the availability principle of the CIA triad and can be categorized under CWE-121, which addresses buffer overflow conditions that can lead to system instability.
The attack vector for this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1499 category for network denial of service attacks. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform sustained disruption campaigns against targeted organizations, potentially causing cascading effects throughout the network infrastructure. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic example of insufficient input validation where the appliance fails to properly sanitize packet contents before processing them through the IM inspection engine. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and additional monitoring controls to detect anomalous packet patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-2057 include immediate deployment of firmware updates to the affected software versions, as Cisco released patches addressing this specific vulnerability in the subsequent releases. Network administrators should also implement temporary network restrictions that limit exposure to the affected inspection engine functionality, particularly for instant messaging protocols. The implementation of intrusion detection systems with signature-based detection capabilities can help identify exploitation attempts, while regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to ensure complete remediation across all network infrastructure components. Organizations should also consider maintaining detailed network traffic logs to facilitate forensic analysis in case of successful exploitation attempts, as this vulnerability can serve as an initial access vector for more sophisticated multi-stage attacks.