CVE-2013-3418 in Unified Communications Domain Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Unified Communications Domain Manager does not properly allocate memory for GET and POST requests, which allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (memory consumption and process crash) via crafted requests to the management interface, aka Bug ID CSCud22922.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/28/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-3418 affects Cisco Unified Communications Domain Manager, a critical component in enterprise communication infrastructure that manages voice and video communication domains. This flaw resides in the management interface handling of HTTP requests, specifically in how the system allocates memory for processing GET and POST operations. The issue represents a classic buffer over-allocation problem that can be exploited by authenticated attackers who possess valid credentials to access the management interface. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management in network infrastructure devices that handle administrative traffic. According to CWE-129, this vulnerability falls under improper validation of array index, which directly relates to how the system handles request parameters and allocates memory resources. The attack vector requires an authenticated user context, meaning that an attacker must first obtain valid credentials to exploit this weakness, though the impact remains severe due to the potential for system-wide disruption.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when authenticated users submit crafted HTTP requests containing malformed parameters that cause the system to allocate excessive memory resources during request processing. When the management interface receives these specially crafted requests, the memory allocation routines fail to properly validate the request parameters, leading to uncontrolled memory consumption that eventually causes the affected processes to crash. This memory exhaustion behavior manifests as a denial of service condition where legitimate administrative users lose access to the management interface, and the system may require manual restart to recover. The vulnerability specifically impacts the system's ability to handle concurrent requests properly, as the flawed memory allocation logic does not account for parameter validation before resource allocation. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to business continuity since the management interface controls critical communication services, and any disruption to its availability can cascade into broader network communication failures.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-3418 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the overall reliability and availability of the Cisco Unified Communications Domain Manager. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause complete system unavailability for administrative tasks, requiring system administrators to perform manual intervention to restore service. The memory consumption pattern associated with this flaw can be particularly challenging to detect since it may not immediately manifest as a clear system crash but rather as progressive performance degradation before complete service failure. Organizations using this platform face the risk of extended downtime during attack windows, as the system requires either manual restart or specific patch application to recover fully. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would align with T1499.004 for endpoint denial of service, where the attack targets the availability of management interfaces to disrupt operational capabilities. Network administrators should consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual memory consumption patterns and establish incident response procedures to address potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the need for proper access controls and credential management practices, as the requirement for authentication reduces the attack surface but does not eliminate the risk entirely. Organizations should ensure that management interfaces are properly segmented and that only authorized personnel have access to these critical administrative functions.