CVE-2009-2318 in MV 410R
Summary
by MITRE
The Axesstel MV 410R allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a flood of SYN packets, a related issue to CVE-1999-0116.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/09/2017
The Axesstel MV 410R represents a network device that falls victim to a classic denial of service vulnerability through SYN flood attacks, a technique that has been documented in cybersecurity for decades. This particular vulnerability manifests when remote attackers exploit the device's handling of TCP connection requests, specifically targeting the SYN packet processing mechanism that forms the foundation of the TCP three-way handshake protocol. The device fails to properly manage or rate-limit incoming SYN packets, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to overwhelm the system's connection handling capabilities.
This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-400, which categorizes unchecked resource consumption as a significant weakness in software and network systems. The issue stems from the device's inability to distinguish between legitimate connection attempts and malicious flood attacks, allowing an attacker to exhaust available system resources through a sustained SYN flood. The attack vector specifically targets the TCP stack implementation within the device's firmware, exploiting the fundamental protocol design that requires the device to maintain state information for each pending connection attempt. The device's failure to implement proper SYN cookies or connection rate limiting mechanisms leaves it vulnerable to this well-known attack pattern.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can effectively render the network device completely inoperative for legitimate users. When the device becomes overwhelmed with SYN packets, it cannot process legitimate network traffic, creating a complete denial of service condition that affects all users relying on the device for connectivity. This vulnerability particularly affects network infrastructure devices that must handle high volumes of connection requests while maintaining service availability. The attack can be executed from any remote location without requiring authentication, making it a particularly dangerous threat to network availability. Organizations relying on the Axesstel MV 410R for network services face significant operational risk when this vulnerability remains unpatched.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper network security controls that address the root cause of the issue. Network administrators should deploy SYN flood protection mechanisms including SYN cookies, connection rate limiting, and proper firewall rules that can identify and block malicious traffic patterns. The implementation of intrusion prevention systems can help detect and mitigate such attacks before they can overwhelm the device. Organizations should also consider network segmentation to isolate critical infrastructure from potential attack vectors and implement proper monitoring to detect unusual traffic patterns that may indicate an ongoing SYN flood attack. Additionally, firmware updates should be applied immediately upon availability to address the underlying protocol implementation flaw. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques related to denial of service and resource exhaustion, specifically targeting network infrastructure components. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper protocol implementation and resource management in network security controls, aligning with defensive strategies that emphasize robust input validation and resource consumption monitoring.