CVE-2012-6026 in Aironet Access Point
Summary
by MITRE
The HTTP Profiler on the Cisco Aironet Access Point with software 15.2 and earlier does not properly manage buffers, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device reload) via crafted HTTP requests, aka Bug ID CSCuc62460.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/23/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-6026 affects Cisco Aironet Access Points running software version 15.2 and earlier, specifically targeting the HTTP Profiler component. This flaw represents a classic buffer management issue that can be exploited remotely to trigger a device reload, effectively causing a denial of service condition that disrupts network connectivity for wireless clients. The vulnerability exists within the HTTP Profiler functionality which is responsible for processing HTTP requests and responses on the access point, making it a critical component for wireless network operations.
The technical flaw manifests through improper buffer handling mechanisms within the HTTP Profiler module. When the access point receives crafted HTTP requests containing malformed or oversized data payloads, the buffer management system fails to properly validate or limit the input size, leading to buffer overflow conditions. This improper handling allows attackers to manipulate memory structures within the device's operating system, ultimately forcing the access point to restart or reload its operating system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication, making it accessible to any attacker who can reach the access point's HTTP interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise entire wireless network infrastructures. When an access point experiences a reload due to this vulnerability, all wireless clients connected to that device lose connectivity and must reassociate with the network, causing significant disruption to business operations. The vulnerability affects the availability aspect of the CIA triad by creating a denial of service condition that can be triggered repeatedly, potentially leading to sustained network outages. Network administrators may experience increased maintenance overhead as they must monitor and potentially replace affected access points while implementing temporary workarounds.
Cisco has addressed this vulnerability through software updates and patches that correct the buffer management implementation within the HTTP Profiler component. Organizations should implement the latest security patches available from Cisco to remediate this vulnerability. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to limit access to access point management interfaces, deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious HTTP traffic patterns, and configuring access control lists to restrict HTTP access to trusted management workstations only. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions in stack-based buffers, and represents a typical example of how improper input validation can lead to system instability and denial of service conditions. The attack pattern follows ATT&CK technique T1499.001 for network denial of service and T1071.005 for application layer protocol usage, demonstrating how HTTP-based attacks can be leveraged to exploit device-level vulnerabilities.