CVE-2010-2816 in ASA
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the SIP inspection feature on Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA) 5500 series devices with software 8.0 before 8.0(5.17), 8.1 before 8.1(2.45), and 8.2 before 8.2(2.13) allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device reload) via crafted SIP packets, aka Bug ID CSCtd32106.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2816 represents a critical flaw in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA) 5500 series devices that affects the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) inspection functionality. This issue specifically impacts devices running software versions 8.0 prior to 8.0(5.17), 8.1 prior to 8.1(2.45), and 8.2 prior to 8.2(2.13). The vulnerability exists within the SIP inspection feature that processes and validates Session Initiation Protocol traffic, which is commonly used for establishing, modifying, and terminating real-time sessions involving video, voice, messaging, and other media applications. The flaw manifests when the ASA device receives crafted SIP packets that exploit a weakness in how the system processes these specific protocol messages, ultimately leading to a device reload or complete system restart.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the SIP inspection module of the ASA software. When the device encounters malformed or specially crafted SIP packets, the inspection engine fails to properly process these packets and instead triggers an unexpected system behavior that results in a device crash and subsequent reload. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation as defined by CWE-20, where the system does not adequately validate or sanitize input data before processing. The flaw represents a classic buffer overflow or memory corruption issue that can be triggered through network-based attacks without requiring authentication or elevated privileges, making it particularly dangerous in network security contexts where devices are expected to handle various types of traffic.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Cisco ASA 5500 series devices for network security. The ability of remote attackers to cause a denial of service through crafted SIP packets means that legitimate network traffic could be disrupted, potentially affecting critical communication services that depend on SIP protocols. The device reload caused by this vulnerability can result in temporary network outages, disruption of voice and video services, and potential loss of network security monitoring capabilities. Organizations may experience cascading effects as the device becomes unavailable, potentially affecting other network services that depend on the ASA for traffic control and security enforcement. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where SIP traffic is common such as unified communications systems, VoIP networks, and enterprise communication infrastructures that rely on ASA devices for traffic inspection and security enforcement.
The attack surface for this vulnerability is particularly concerning as it allows remote exploitation without authentication requirements, making it accessible to any attacker who can send packets to the affected ASA device. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service, where adversaries leverage vulnerabilities to cause service disruption. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the ASA's protocol inspection capabilities and highlights the importance of proper input validation and error handling in network security devices. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potential attackers, while also prioritizing the immediate deployment of Cisco's security patches and updates. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security software in network infrastructure devices, as the affected versions of ASA software contained this flaw that could be exploited by threat actors without requiring any special privileges or credentials.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate deployment of the appropriate Cisco security patches and software updates that address the specific SIP inspection flaw. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect and alert on unusual SIP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while considering temporary network segmentation to limit the attack surface. The implementation of intrusion detection systems and network access control measures can provide additional layers of protection against potential exploitation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability management processes should be enhanced to ensure timely identification and remediation of similar issues across the entire network infrastructure. Network administrators should also review and test their incident response procedures to ensure rapid recovery capabilities in case of successful exploitation attempts, as the device reload can result in extended service disruption and potential security gaps during the recovery period.