CVE-2010-1579 in ASA
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the SunRPC inspection feature on Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA) 5500 series devices with software 7.2 before 7.2(5), 8.0 before 8.0(5.19), 8.1 before 8.1(2.47), and 8.2 before 8.2(2) and Cisco PIX Security Appliances 500 series devices allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device reload) via crafted SunRPC UDP packets, aka Bug ID CSCtc79922.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2010-1579 represents a critical flaw in the SunRPC inspection capabilities of Cisco's Adaptive Security Appliances and PIX Security Appliances. This issue affects multiple generations of Cisco ASA and PIX devices, specifically targeting the network traffic inspection mechanisms that process SunRPC protocol communications. The vulnerability manifests when the affected devices receive specially crafted UDP packets that exploit a flaw in how the SunRPC inspection feature handles incoming network traffic. This particular weakness allows remote attackers to trigger a device reload, effectively causing a denial of service condition that disrupts network operations and compromises availability. The vulnerability is classified as an unspecified weakness in the inspection feature, indicating that the precise technical mechanism that enables the exploitation remains undisclosed but is sufficient to cause complete device restarts. The impact extends across multiple software versions, with specific affected releases including ASA 5500 series running software versions 7.2 before 7.2(5), 8.0 before 8.0(5.19), 8.1 before 8.1(2.47), and 8.2 before 8.2(2), as well as PIX 500 series devices with similar version constraints.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of UDP packets that conform to the SunRPC protocol structure, which is commonly used for remote procedure calls in Unix-based systems. When the affected Cisco devices process these malformed packets through their SunRPC inspection feature, the device's processing logic fails to properly handle the malformed data, resulting in an unrecoverable error condition that forces the device to reload its operating system. This behavior aligns with the Common Weakness Enumeration classification for buffer overflows and improper input validation issues, where the inspection module fails to properly validate incoming packet data before processing. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication and can be executed remotely, making it a significant threat to network availability. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of insufficient error handling in network protocol inspection modules, where malformed input causes system-level failures rather than graceful rejection of invalid traffic.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1579 extends beyond simple service disruption, as the device reload can result in complete network outage for organizations relying on these security appliances for network protection. During the reload process, the affected devices become temporarily unavailable, potentially leaving network segments unprotected and disrupting critical business operations. Network administrators may experience challenges in maintaining continuous monitoring and security enforcement, as the device restarts can occur without warning and may happen repeatedly if attackers continuously send the malformed packets. The vulnerability affects organizations that utilize SunRPC services within their networks, particularly those running legacy systems that require RPC communication. The impact is particularly severe for mission-critical infrastructure where availability is paramount, as the device reload can be exploited to create sustained denial of service conditions that are difficult to distinguish from legitimate network issues.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability through the application of Cisco's security advisories and software updates. The primary recommended action involves upgrading the affected Cisco ASA and PIX devices to software versions that contain the necessary patches for the SunRPC inspection flaw. Cisco released specific software updates addressing this vulnerability, including versions 7.2(5), 8.0(5.19), 8.1(2.47), and 8.2(2) for the respective affected product lines. Network administrators should also consider implementing access control lists or firewall rules that filter out suspicious UDP traffic destined for ports commonly used by SunRPC services, particularly those associated with portmapper and RPC-based services. Additionally, implementing network segmentation strategies can help limit the impact of such attacks by isolating vulnerable systems and reducing the attack surface. The vulnerability's characteristics align with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the 'Denial of Service' tactic, where adversaries exploit weaknesses in network infrastructure to disrupt availability. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on the specific packet patterns associated with this vulnerability, providing early warning capabilities to prevent successful exploitation attempts.