CVE-2010-4691 in ASA
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability 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) via multicast traffic, aka Bug IDs CSCtg61810 and CSCtg69742.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4691 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA) 5500 series devices operating with software versions prior to 8.3(2). This weakness specifically manifests when the affected devices receive multicast traffic, causing them to crash and become unavailable to legitimate users. The vulnerability was documented under multiple bug IDs including CSCtg61810 and CSCtg69742, indicating the severity and complexity of the issue within Cisco's internal tracking systems.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of multicast packets by the ASA device's packet processing mechanisms. When the device encounters malformed or specially crafted multicast traffic, its processing routines fail to properly validate or sanitize the incoming data, leading to a buffer overflow or memory corruption condition. This flaw falls under the category of software defects that can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or prior access to the device. The vulnerability operates at the network layer, specifically targeting the multicast routing and packet forwarding functions within the ASA's kernel.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can be exploited by remote attackers to systematically disable critical network security infrastructure. Organizations relying on ASA 5500 series devices for perimeter security or internal network protection face significant risk when these devices are compromised through this vulnerability. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit the flaw from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access or network credentials. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where network security appliances serve as primary defense mechanisms against external threats.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions in memory management, and represents a classic example of how network protocol handling can lead to system instability. From an adversary perspective, this flaw maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks targeting network infrastructure. Organizations implementing Cisco ASA solutions should prioritize immediate patching to version 8.3(2) or later, as this update contains the necessary code modifications to properly handle multicast traffic and prevent the exploitation scenario. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing temporary mitigation strategies such as multicast traffic filtering or access control lists to limit exposure while permanent patches are deployed.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the importance of maintaining current security software versions and implementing robust patch management processes. Organizations should also consider network segmentation strategies to limit the potential impact of similar vulnerabilities affecting network infrastructure devices. The flaw demonstrates how seemingly minor protocol handling issues can result in complete system compromise, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing and validation of network security appliances before deployment in production environments.