CVE-2008-4135 in OS S60
Summary
by MITRE
Symbian OS S60 3rd edition on the Nokia E90 Communicator 07.40.1.2 Ra-6 and Nseries N82 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device crash) via multiple deauthentication (DeAuth) frames.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4135 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting Symbian OS S60 3rd edition implementations on specific Nokia mobile devices including the E90 Communicator and N82 models. This weakness stems from inadequate handling of wireless network deauthentication frames within the device's wireless communication stack, creating a pathway for remote exploitation that can result in complete device crash and service disruption. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the affected devices receive multiple deauthentication frames from unauthorized sources, triggering a cascade of system failures that ultimately leads to device instability and complete system halt.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms within the wireless networking components of the Symbian OS implementation. When multiple deauthentication frames are transmitted to the vulnerable devices, the system fails to properly sanitize or reject these malformed network packets, causing the wireless subsystem to enter an unrecoverable state. This flaw operates at the network protocol level, specifically targeting the 802.11 wireless communication stack where deauthentication frames are processed without adequate boundary checking or state validation. The vulnerability can be classified under CWE-129 Input Validation and Error Handling, as it demonstrates poor handling of malformed network input that leads to system instability and denial of service conditions.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-4135 extends beyond simple device disruption, as it can be exploited remotely without requiring physical access or authentication credentials from attackers. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the ATT&CK framework under the T1499.004 technique category for Network Denial of Service, where adversaries can leverage wireless protocols to target mobile devices. The affected devices become completely unresponsive during exploitation, requiring manual reboot or power cycling to restore functionality, which can be particularly problematic in enterprise environments where mobile devices serve critical communication functions. The vulnerability affects devices operating with firmware version 07.40.1.2 Ra-6, making it particularly concerning for organizations that have not implemented proper device update policies or security controls.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on both immediate defensive measures and long-term remediation approaches. Network administrators should implement wireless access point configurations that limit the transmission of deauthentication frames from unauthorized sources and establish monitoring systems to detect unusual wireless traffic patterns. Device security policies should mandate regular firmware updates to ensure that vulnerable Symbian OS versions are replaced with patched implementations. Organizations should also consider network segmentation to isolate wireless traffic and implement intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on suspicious deauthentication frame patterns. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure wireless protocol implementation and proper error handling in mobile operating systems, as it demonstrates how network-level attacks can bypass traditional security controls and directly impact device stability and availability.