CVE-2008-2172 in Gr2000
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Hitachi GR routers allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (dropped session) via crafted BGP UPDATE messages, leading to route flapping, possibly a related issue to CVE-2007-6372.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-2172 represents a critical flaw in Hitachi GR series routers that enables remote attackers to disrupt network operations through carefully constructed BGP UPDATE messages. This issue falls under the broader category of routing protocol vulnerabilities that can severely impact network stability and availability. The vulnerability specifically affects the Border Gateway Protocol implementation within these routers, which serves as the primary protocol for exchanging routing information between different autonomous systems on the internet. The affected Hitachi GR routers are commonly deployed in enterprise and service provider networks where reliable routing is essential for maintaining connectivity and data flow.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and error handling within the BGP UPDATE message processing functionality of the affected routers. When maliciously crafted BGP UPDATE messages are received, the router fails to properly validate the message contents, leading to unexpected behavior that results in dropped network sessions and disrupted routing operations. This flaw operates at the network layer protocol level and specifically targets the BGP implementation, making it particularly dangerous as BGP is fundamental to internet routing operations. The vulnerability creates a condition where legitimate routing updates are either ignored or cause the router to reset its BGP session, resulting in temporary loss of connectivity and potential network instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially cause significant network instability through route flapping phenomena. Route flapping occurs when routing information rapidly changes between different paths, causing routers to continuously update their routing tables and resulting in network congestion and performance degradation. This behavior can affect not only the directly impacted router but also neighboring devices that depend on stable routing information for their operations. The vulnerability's potential relationship to CVE-2007-6372 suggests a pattern of similar implementation flaws in the same router series, indicating a systemic issue within the software architecture that requires comprehensive remediation rather than isolated fixes.
Network administrators and security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly within the T1499 category of Network Denial of Service, where adversaries exploit weaknesses in network protocols to disrupt service availability. The vulnerability also aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation as a fundamental weakness that can lead to various security issues including denial of service conditions. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation, BGP message filtering, and access control measures to limit exposure while permanent fixes are deployed. The incident highlights the critical importance of robust input validation and error handling in network protocol implementations, as well as the necessity for regular security assessments of core network infrastructure components that are essential for internet connectivity and service delivery.