CVE-2010-0604 in PGW 2200 Softswitch
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the SIP implementation on the Cisco PGW 2200 Softswitch with software before 9.7(3)S10 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device crash) via unknown SIP traffic, as demonstrated by "SIP testing," aka Bug ID CSCsk38165.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/13/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-0604 affects Cisco PGW 2200 Softswitch devices running software versions prior to 9.7(3)S10, representing a critical security flaw within the Session Initiation Protocol implementation. This unspecified vulnerability manifests through malformed or specially crafted SIP traffic that can trigger device instability, ultimately leading to complete system crash and denial of service conditions. The issue was specifically documented and demonstrated through "SIP testing" methodologies, indicating that the attack vector involves deliberate manipulation of SIP protocol communications to exploit implementation weaknesses in the softswitch platform. The vulnerability demonstrates significant operational impact as it allows remote attackers to disrupt critical telecommunications services without requiring authentication or physical access to the device.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the SIP processing module of the Cisco PGW 2200 Softswitch. When the device receives malformed SIP messages or traffic that falls outside expected protocol parameters, the system fails to properly sanitize or reject such inputs, leading to memory corruption or resource exhaustion conditions. This flaw operates at the protocol level where SIP messages are parsed and processed, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through legitimate network traffic without requiring specialized privileges. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-20, representing improper input validation, and falls under the broader category of buffer overflows or memory corruption issues that commonly affect network protocol implementations. The specific nature of the attack demonstrates how protocol-level weaknesses can be exploited to cause complete system failure rather than merely data compromise.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to telecommunications infrastructure as the Cisco PGW 2200 Softswitch serves as a critical component in voice and data network switching operations. The remote exploit capability means that attackers can target these devices from outside the network perimeter, potentially disrupting service for multiple users or entire network segments. The device crash condition effectively creates a denial of service scenario that can persist until manual intervention or device reboot occurs, leading to significant service interruption and potential revenue loss for service providers. Organizations relying on this equipment face substantial operational risk as the vulnerability can be exploited without detection, potentially allowing attackers to repeatedly disrupt services or establish a baseline for more sophisticated attacks. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to include potential data loss, network instability, and increased operational overhead for maintenance and recovery activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-0604 primarily focus on immediate software patching and system updates to the affected Cisco PGW 2200 Softswitch devices. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to software version 9.7(3)S10 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the SIP implementation vulnerabilities. Network administrators should implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual SIP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, utilizing intrusion detection systems and network traffic analysis tools to identify anomalous behavior. Additional protective measures include implementing network segmentation to limit exposure of critical softswitch devices, deploying firewalls with deep packet inspection capabilities to filter malicious SIP traffic, and establishing robust incident response procedures for rapid deployment of patches and system recovery. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1499, specifically covering network denial of service attacks, and organizations should consider implementing defensive measures against such threat patterns while maintaining compliance with industry standards for telecommunications security and network resilience.