CVE-2013-0139 in Vision AV1355DN MegaDome camera
Summary
by MITRE
The Arecont Vision AV1355DN MegaDome camera allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (video-capture outage) via a packet to UDP port 69.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/13/2024
The CVE-2013-0139 vulnerability affects the Arecont Vision AV1355DN MegaDome network camera, representing a significant denial of service weakness that can compromise video surveillance operations. This vulnerability specifically targets the camera's handling of packets transmitted to UDP port 69, which is traditionally associated with the Trivial File Transfer Protocol. The flaw demonstrates how network-based surveillance equipment can be exploited to disrupt critical security infrastructure without requiring authentication or advanced privileges. The vulnerability exists within the camera's network protocol implementation, where malformed or specially crafted packets can trigger unexpected behavior in the video capture process. This particular attack vector exploits the camera's UDP packet processing logic, which fails to properly validate incoming packets destined for the TFTP port, leading to a complete video capture outage that can persist until manual intervention or device reboot occurs.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the camera's network stack, specifically in how it processes UDP packets on port 69. When an attacker sends a malicious packet to this port, the camera's firmware fails to properly handle the packet structure or content, causing the video capture process to terminate unexpectedly. This behavior aligns with CWE-129, which describes improper validation of input boundaries, and CWE-248, which addresses an exception being thrown for an unspecified error condition. The camera's failure to implement proper packet filtering or state validation mechanisms creates an exploitable condition where a single malicious packet can cause the entire video capture system to fail. The vulnerability essentially represents a lack of robust error handling in the network protocol stack, where the system does not gracefully recover from malformed packet inputs, instead crashing or hanging the video capture functionality entirely.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to organizations relying on network video surveillance systems for security operations, particularly in critical infrastructure environments. The denial of service condition affects not just individual cameras but can potentially disrupt entire surveillance networks if multiple devices are vulnerable to the same exploit. The attack requires minimal resources and technical expertise to execute, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by both malicious actors and automated attack tools. Security operations teams face the challenge of maintaining continuous surveillance coverage while dealing with potential disruptions that can occur without warning, potentially leaving facilities vulnerable to security breaches during the outage period. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability aspect of the security infrastructure, as defined by the CIA triad, since it compromises the ability of the surveillance system to provide continuous monitoring services. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to include potential business continuity issues, regulatory compliance concerns, and increased operational overhead for security personnel who must respond to and recover from such incidents.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability effectively. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to block incoming UDP traffic on port 69 to cameras that are not actively using TFTP services, which aligns with the principle of least privilege and network segmentation practices recommended by the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Network monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect unusual packet patterns targeting UDP port 69 and trigger automated alerts for security personnel. Device firmware updates from Arecont Vision should be implemented immediately to address the underlying protocol handling issues, though organizations should verify that the update resolves the specific vulnerability without introducing regressions. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and block suspicious packet patterns targeting this specific port. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of conducting regular security assessments of networked devices, including surveillance equipment, to identify similar protocol handling weaknesses. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures specifically addressing network camera denial of service attacks, ensuring that security teams can quickly restore service and investigate the root cause of such incidents. The attack vector described in CVE-2013-0139 demonstrates the need for comprehensive security testing of network protocols in embedded devices, particularly those used in critical infrastructure applications where availability is paramount.