CVE-2011-0391 in Telepresence Recording Server Software
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco TelePresence Recording Server devices with software 1.6.x allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (thread consumption and device outage) via a malformed request, related to an "ad hoc recording" issue, aka Bug ID CSCtf97205.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0391 affects Cisco TelePresence Recording Server devices operating on software version 1.6.x, representing a critical denial of service weakness that can be exploited remotely by attackers. This flaw specifically manifests through malformed requests targeting the ad hoc recording functionality of the system, creating a condition where the device becomes overwhelmed with thread consumption and ultimately experiences complete outage. The vulnerability resides within the server's handling of specific request parameters that are processed during recording operations, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on continuous video recording services for their telepresence infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the TelePresence Recording Server's ad hoc recording feature. When malformed requests are sent to the system, the server fails to properly sanitize or reject these invalid inputs, leading to a cascading effect where multiple threads become consumed in processing the malformed data. This thread exhaustion results in the device becoming unresponsive and unable to process legitimate recording requests, effectively rendering the service unavailable. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-129 Input Validation and CWE-400 Uncontrolled Resource Consumption, where inadequate validation allows resource exhaustion through malformed inputs.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise the entire telepresence infrastructure of organizations relying on Cisco devices for critical communications. During exploitation, the device outage can last for extended periods, potentially hours or days, depending on the system configuration and manual intervention required for recovery. Organizations using this technology for business-critical applications such as executive meetings, remote collaboration, or emergency communications face significant operational risks when this vulnerability is exploited. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this weakness from outside the organization's network, eliminating the need for physical access or network compromise, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Denial of Service via Resource Consumption.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-0391 should prioritize immediate software updates to versions that address the input validation issues within the ad hoc recording functionality. Organizations must implement network segmentation to limit access to the TelePresence Recording Server to authorized personnel only, reducing the attack surface available to potential adversaries. Additionally, implementing monitoring solutions that can detect unusual thread consumption patterns or malformed request patterns provides early warning capabilities. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining current security patches and conducting regular vulnerability assessments of telepresence systems, as this issue demonstrates how seemingly minor input validation flaws can result in complete service outages. Network administrators should also consider implementing rate limiting and request validation mechanisms at network boundaries to prevent malformed requests from reaching the vulnerable server components.