CVE-2009-3322 in Gigaset SE361 WLAN router
Summary
by MITRE
The Siemens Gigaset SE361 WLAN router allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device reboot) via a flood of crafted TCP packets to port 1723.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/14/2024
The CVE-2009-3322 vulnerability affects the Siemens Gigaset SE361 wireless local area network router, representing a significant denial of service weakness that can be exploited remotely by attackers. This vulnerability specifically targets the router's handling of TCP traffic on port 1723, which is commonly associated with the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol. The flaw enables malicious actors to trigger device reboots through the transmission of specially crafted TCP packets, effectively disrupting network connectivity for all users dependent on this wireless infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and packet processing within the router's network stack. When the Gigaset SE361 receives malformed or excessively crafted TCP packets on port 1723, the device fails to properly handle these inputs, leading to a system crash and subsequent automatic reboot. This behavior aligns with CWE-129, which addresses issues related to improper validation of input boundaries, and represents a classic example of a resource exhaustion attack where the router's processing capabilities are overwhelmed by malicious traffic patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates poor defensive programming practices in network protocol handling, where the device lacks proper error recovery mechanisms to gracefully handle malformed packets.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can affect business continuity and network availability for organizations relying on this specific router model. Network administrators may experience unexpected downtime, potentially affecting productivity and customer service availability. The remote exploit nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the device or network credentials to execute the attack, making it particularly dangerous for unsecured or poorly managed networks. This vulnerability also falls under ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, specifically targeting network infrastructure components to create service interruptions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-3322 should include immediate network segmentation to isolate affected routers from critical systems, implementing firewall rules to restrict access to port 1723, and applying firmware updates from Siemens when available. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect unusual traffic patterns on port 1723, and administrators should consider disabling unused network services to reduce attack surface. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security assessments and firmware updates, as well as the need for robust network architecture design that includes proper access controls and intrusion detection systems to prevent exploitation of similar protocol handling weaknesses. Organizations should also implement network redundancy measures to minimize the impact of such attacks on overall network availability.