CVE-2010-2708 in Procurve Switch Software
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability on the HP ProCurve 2610 switch before R.11.22, when DHCP is enabled, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2708 affects HP ProCurve 2610 series network switches prior to firmware version R.11.22 where DHCP functionality is enabled. This represents a critical security flaw that exists within the switch's network protocol handling mechanisms. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability vectors indicates that the exact technical exploitation method remains undisclosed, though it is confirmed to be remotely accessible and capable of inducing a denial of service condition. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the switch's DHCP server component processes incoming network requests, creating a potential attack surface that adversaries can leverage without requiring physical access or authentication credentials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the switch's DHCP server implementation. When DHCP is enabled, the switch processes incoming DHCP requests from network clients and responds with appropriate network configuration parameters. The flaw occurs during this processing phase where malformed or specially crafted DHCP packets can trigger unexpected behavior in the switch's operating system. This weakness aligns with common software security principles where insufficient sanitization of network inputs leads to system instability. The vulnerability may be categorized under CWE-122, which addresses buffer overflow conditions, or CWE-20, which covers input validation issues, though the exact classification requires deeper analysis of the specific implementation details.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to network infrastructure integrity and availability. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to disrupt network services by causing the switch to crash or become unresponsive, effectively creating a denial of service condition that impacts all network traffic passing through the affected device. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as network administrators may experience extended downtime while troubleshooting and applying patches. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise networks where HP ProCurve switches serve as core infrastructure components, potentially compromising business continuity and network reliability. The attack vector does not require authentication, making it especially dangerous as any network user can potentially exploit this weakness.
Network security professionals should implement immediate mitigations while planning for firmware upgrades to address this vulnerability. The most effective immediate countermeasure involves disabling DHCP functionality on affected switches until proper patches can be deployed. This approach aligns with the principle of least privilege and reduces the attack surface by eliminating the vulnerable service. Additionally, network segmentation strategies can help isolate affected switches from critical network segments, limiting potential impact. The vulnerability's characteristics suggest it may be related to ATT&CK technique T1499, which covers network disruption attacks targeting infrastructure components. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous DHCP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process requires careful planning to avoid service disruption during firmware updates, and should include thorough testing in controlled environments before deployment to production networks.