CVE-2009-4922 in ASA 5580
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability on Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA) 5580 series devices with software before 8.1(2) allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (traceback) by establishing many IPsec L2L tunnels from remote peer IP addresses, aka Bug ID CSCso15583.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/20/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4922 affects Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA) 5580 series devices operating with software versions prior to 8.1(2). This issue represents a significant security concern that impacts the operational integrity of network security infrastructure. The vulnerability manifests as a denial of service condition specifically triggered through the manipulation of IPsec Layer 2 Layer (L2L) tunnels within the ASA's security framework. The affected devices are particularly susceptible to exploitation by authenticated remote attackers who can leverage this weakness to disrupt normal network operations.
The technical flaw resides in the ASA's handling of multiple IPsec L2L tunnel establishments from various remote peer IP addresses. When numerous such tunnels are simultaneously created, the device experiences a traceback condition that leads to system instability and ultimately results in a denial of service. This behavior stems from insufficient input validation and resource management within the IPsec tunnel processing mechanisms of the affected software versions. The vulnerability operates at the network security protocol level, specifically targeting the IPsec implementation within the ASA's security policy enforcement engine.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can severely compromise network availability and security posture. Remote authenticated users can systematically degrade the performance of ASA 5580 devices by creating excessive IPsec L2L tunnels, potentially leading to complete service outages that affect critical network infrastructure. Network administrators face the challenge of maintaining secure connectivity while dealing with the possibility of unauthorized disruption of their security appliances. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise networks that rely heavily on IPsec tunnels for secure communications between remote sites and headquarters.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-4922 primarily focus on software updates and configuration hardening measures. The most effective solution involves upgrading affected ASA 5580 devices to software version 8.1(2) or later, which includes patches specifically addressing the traceback condition in IPsec L2L tunnel processing. Network administrators should also implement tunnel rate limiting and monitoring mechanisms to detect abnormal tunnel creation patterns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses improper information exposure, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. Organizations should consider implementing additional access controls and monitoring protocols to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain overall network security posture.