CVE-2014-0664 in Unity Connection
Summary
by MITRE
The server in Cisco Unity Connection allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via unspecified IMAP commands, aka Bug ID CSCul49976.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-0664 represents a significant security flaw within Cisco Unity Connection's server implementation that enables remote authenticated attackers to execute a denial of service attack through excessive cpu consumption. This vulnerability specifically targets the IMAP protocol handling functionality within the Cisco Unity Connection system, which serves as a unified communication platform integrating voice messaging, email, and collaboration services. The affected system operates as a central hub for enterprise communication infrastructure, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations relying on Cisco's unified messaging solutions. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and resource management within the IMAP command processing logic, allowing malicious actors to craft specific command sequences that trigger excessive cpu utilization.
The technical nature of this flaw involves the improper handling of IMAP commands that are processed by the Unity Connection server. When authenticated users send carefully crafted IMAP commands to the server, the system fails to properly validate or limit the computational resources required to process these requests. This leads to a condition where legitimate IMAP operations consume disproportionate cpu cycles, effectively exhausting system resources and rendering the service unavailable to other users. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the existing authentication mechanism, meaning that attackers must first establish valid credentials to exploit the flaw, though this does not require administrative privileges. The root cause can be categorized under CWE-400, which addresses unchecked resource consumption, and specifically relates to improper handling of input validation in network protocol implementations.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-0664 extends beyond simple service disruption, potentially affecting critical business communications and collaboration workflows within enterprise environments. Organizations utilizing Cisco Unity Connection for voice messaging and unified communications may experience significant downtime during exploitation attempts, leading to productivity losses and potential business continuity issues. The vulnerability affects systems that rely on IMAP for email integration with voice messaging services, creating cascading effects throughout the communication infrastructure. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability without requiring extensive technical knowledge or privileged access, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by malicious insiders or compromised legitimate users. The attack vector operates over network connections, requiring only that the attacker can establish an authenticated session with the Unity Connection server.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability effectively. Immediate remediation involves applying the official Cisco security patches and updates released to address the specific IMAP processing flaw. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit the exposure of Unity Connection servers to unnecessary network traffic and reduce the attack surface. Monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual cpu utilization patterns and anomalous IMAP command sequences that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing rate limiting and resource allocation controls within the IMAP service configuration can help prevent the excessive cpu consumption that leads to denial of service conditions. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499 which covers network denial of service attacks, and organizations should consider implementing defensive measures such as intrusion detection systems and behavioral analytics to identify and block exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to ensure that similar flaws are not present in other components of the communication infrastructure.