CVE-2010-4688 in ASA
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the SIP inspection feature on Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA) 5500 series devices with software before 8.3(2) allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device crash) by making many SIP calls, aka Bug ID CSCte20030.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4688 represents a critical flaw in the Session Initiation Protocol inspection functionality of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances running software versions prior to 8.3(2). This issue affects the 5500 series ASA devices and manifests as a remote denial of service condition that can be triggered through the manipulation of SIP traffic patterns. The vulnerability operates through an unspecified mechanism within the ASA's SIP inspection engine that fails to properly handle excessive SIP call requests, leading to device instability and potential system crashes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and resource management within the SIP inspection module of the ASA software. When multiple SIP calls are initiated in rapid succession or in a manner that exceeds the device's processing capacity, the inspection engine encounters a condition that causes it to malfunction. This results in the device becoming unresponsive or crashing entirely, thereby disrupting network services and potentially creating unauthorized access windows during the recovery process. The flaw operates at the protocol inspection layer, where the ASA's security policies are enforced, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited without requiring authentication or prior access to the network.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations relying on ASA 5500 series devices for network security and voice communication services. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can trigger device crashes from outside the network perimeter, effectively creating a denial of service attack that can impact business continuity and communication infrastructure. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as the device crash may require manual intervention for recovery, potentially leaving the network unprotected during the restoration period. Network administrators may also face challenges in identifying the source of the disruption, as the crash may not generate clear audit trails indicating the specific attack vector.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which addresses buffer overflow conditions, and relates to the broader category of resource exhaustion attacks that are frequently categorized under the MITRE ATT&CK framework's T1499.004 technique for network denial of service. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including upgrading to ASA software version 8.3(2) or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the SIP inspection flaw. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing rate limiting for SIP traffic, monitoring for unusual SIP call patterns, and establishing robust incident response procedures to handle potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include thorough testing of updated software in controlled environments before deployment to production networks to ensure compatibility with existing network configurations and security policies.