CVE-2013-3378 in Telepresence Te Software
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco TelePresence TC Software before 6.1 and TE Software before 4.1.3 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (temporary device hang) via crafted SIP packets, aka Bug ID CSCuf89557.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/03/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-3378 represents a significant denial of service weakness affecting Cisco TelePresence communication systems. This flaw specifically impacts Cisco TelePresence TC Software versions prior to 6.1 and TE Software versions prior to 4.1.3, creating a critical operational risk for organizations relying on these video conferencing solutions. The vulnerability operates through a carefully crafted SIP packet manipulation technique that can temporarily hang the affected devices, effectively disrupting critical communication services.
The technical mechanism underlying this vulnerability involves the improper handling of malformed SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) packets by the affected Cisco TelePresence software implementations. When these systems receive specially constructed SIP messages, they fail to properly validate or sanitize the incoming data, leading to a state where the device becomes unresponsive or temporarily hangs. This behavior aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input boundaries, and demonstrates how insufficient input sanitization can lead to system instability. The flaw exploits the lack of proper error handling within the SIP message processing pipeline, where the software does not adequately protect against malformed or maliciously constructed packets that could trigger unexpected behavior in the system's state management.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to organizations that depend on continuous video conferencing capabilities for business operations. The temporary device hang can occur without any visible indication of compromise, making it particularly dangerous as it may go unnoticed until service disruption becomes apparent. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption, as these TelePresence systems are often critical infrastructure components for executive communications, remote collaboration, and business continuity operations. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely by attackers who do not require physical access or authentication credentials, making it particularly concerning for organizations with limited network segmentation or monitoring capabilities. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks that target communication systems and infrastructure.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of Cisco's security patches and software updates. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to Cisco TelePresence TC Software version 6.1 or later and TE Software version 4.1.3 or later, which contain the necessary fixes to properly handle malformed SIP packets. Network administrators should also implement monitoring solutions that can detect unusual SIP traffic patterns and establish network segmentation controls to limit the potential impact of such attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for communication infrastructure and highlights the need for robust input validation mechanisms in network protocol implementations. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on suspicious SIP packet structures that may indicate exploitation attempts.