CVE-2010-1892 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
The TCP/IP stack in Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 and SP2, Windows Server 2008 Gold, SP2, and R2, and Windows 7 does not properly handle malformed IPv6 packets, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (system hang) via multiple crafted packets, aka "IPv6 Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/18/2021
The CVE-2010-1892 vulnerability represents a critical flaw in the IPv6 implementation within Microsoft Windows operating systems, specifically affecting Windows Vista SP1 and SP2, Windows Server 2008 Gold, SP2, and R2, as well as Windows 7. This vulnerability resides within the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol stack and manifests as improper handling of malformed IPv6 packets. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute a denial of service attack that can cause system hangs, effectively rendering affected systems unavailable to legitimate users. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the network protocol level, allowing attackers to exploit the issue from remote locations without requiring local system access or authentication credentials. The impact extends across multiple versions of Microsoft's enterprise and desktop operating systems, making it a widespread concern for organizations relying on these platforms.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and error handling within the IPv6 packet processing routines of the Windows TCP/IP stack. When the system receives malformed IPv6 packets containing invalid or unexpected data structures, the kernel-level network driver fails to properly sanitize the input before processing. This leads to memory corruption issues that can cause the operating system to become unresponsive or crash entirely. The vulnerability is classified as a buffer overflow condition according to CWE-119, which specifically addresses memory safety issues in software implementations. The flaw occurs during the parsing of IPv6 headers and extension headers where the system does not adequately validate the length fields, option data, or other packet structure elements. Attackers can craft packets with malformed IPv6 headers that trigger memory corruption when processed by the kernel's network stack, leading to system instability and denial of service conditions.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1892 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can affect critical business operations and network availability. Organizations running affected Windows systems face potential downtime that can span from minutes to hours depending on the attack methodology and system configuration. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where network infrastructure relies heavily on IPv6 connectivity, as attackers can potentially target multiple systems simultaneously. The attack vector is remote and requires no authentication, making it especially attractive to malicious actors seeking to disrupt operations without detection. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks, where adversaries leverage protocol-level flaws to disrupt network services. The vulnerability also maps to the broader category of remote code execution threats, though in this case it manifests as a denial of service rather than arbitrary code execution. Organizations may experience cascading failures if the affected systems are part of critical network infrastructure, potentially leading to extended outages and business disruption.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-1892 should focus on both immediate patching and network-level defenses. Microsoft released security updates addressing this vulnerability through the regular security bulletin process, and organizations should prioritize applying these patches to all affected systems. The recommended approach includes implementing network segmentation to limit exposure, deploying firewalls and network access control lists to filter IPv6 traffic, and monitoring network logs for suspicious packet patterns. Organizations should also consider disabling IPv6 functionality on systems where it is not required, though this may not be feasible in environments requiring IPv6 connectivity. Network administrators should implement intrusion detection systems capable of identifying malformed IPv6 packets and establish incident response procedures for handling potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and demonstrates the need for comprehensive network monitoring solutions that can detect and respond to protocol-level anomalies. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar flaws in their network infrastructure and ensure that all systems receive timely security updates to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.