CVE-2009-4919 in ASA 5580
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow on Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA) 5580 series devices with software before 8.1(2) allows remote attackers to have an unspecified impact via long IKE attributes, aka Bug ID CSCsu43121.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/20/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4919 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw affecting Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA) 5580 series devices operating with software versions prior to 8.1(2). This vulnerability specifically manifests within the Internet Key Exchange (IKE) protocol implementation, which serves as a fundamental component for establishing secure communication channels in virtual private networks. The flaw arises when the ASA device processes long IKE attributes, creating an exploitable condition that remote attackers can leverage to execute arbitrary code or cause system instability. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects the core security infrastructure of network environments, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to protected networks and compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive data flows.
The technical nature of this buffer overflow stems from inadequate input validation within the IKE attribute processing mechanism of the ASA software. When the device receives IKE messages containing excessively long attribute values, the system fails to properly bounds-check the data before copying it into fixed-size buffers, resulting in memory corruption. This memory corruption can be manipulated by attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to code execution at privilege levels corresponding to the affected device's operational context. The vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category of buffer overflow conditions, specifically classified as CWE-121, which represents heap-based buffer overflow scenarios. The attack vector is remote and requires no authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from anywhere on the internet without prior access to the network infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes or denial of service conditions, as it could enable attackers to establish persistent access to network perimeters protected by the vulnerable ASA appliances. Network administrators face significant risk of unauthorized data exfiltration, lateral movement within corporate networks, and potential compromise of critical infrastructure components that rely on these security devices for protection. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security posture of organizations using affected ASA 5580 series appliances, as these devices typically serve as primary gateways for enterprise network security, VPN access, and perimeter defense. The unspecified impact mentioned in the original description suggests that the vulnerability could potentially allow for privilege escalation or complete system compromise, depending on how the buffer overflow is leveraged by attackers. This aligns with ATT&CK framework techniques such as T1059 for command and control execution and T1078 for valid accounts exploitation, as successful exploitation could provide attackers with elevated privileges and persistent access to network resources.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including prompt deployment of Cisco's security patches and updates to software versions 8.1(2) or later, which contain the necessary fixes for the buffer overflow condition. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit potential attack surfaces, while monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect unusual IKE traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their ASA deployments to identify all affected devices and prioritize remediation efforts based on risk exposure and network criticality. Additional protective measures include implementing network access control lists to restrict IKE traffic to trusted sources only, enabling logging and monitoring of IKE negotiation processes, and establishing incident response procedures specifically tailored to address potential exploitation of this vulnerability. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security maintenance and patch management processes, as the affected software versions were released prior to the patch availability, indicating a need for more proactive security update strategies within enterprise environments.