CVE-2014-0707 in Wireless LAN Controller
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) devices 7.2, 7.3, and 7.4 before 7.4.110.0 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device restart) via a crafted 802.11 Ethernet frame, aka Bug ID CSCuf80681.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2026
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-0707 affects Cisco Wireless LAN Controller devices operating on software versions 7.2, 7.3, and 7.4 before 7.4.110.0. This represents a critical denial of service flaw that enables remote attackers to disrupt network operations by exploiting a weakness in the handling of 802.11 Ethernet frames. The vulnerability specifically impacts wireless infrastructure devices that form the backbone of enterprise wireless networks, making it particularly concerning for organizations relying on Cisco WLC for their wireless connectivity needs. The bug ID CSCuf80681 identifies this specific flaw within Cisco's internal tracking systems, indicating it was recognized and documented by the vendor as a legitimate security concern requiring immediate attention.
The technical flaw manifests through improper validation of 802.11 Ethernet frames that are processed by the WLC device. When a maliciously crafted frame is transmitted to the wireless controller, it triggers a condition that causes the device to restart or crash, effectively terminating wireless services for all connected clients. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of input validation issues and can be classified as a CWE-129 vulnerability, representing an improper validation of input boundaries. The flaw occurs at the protocol level where the WLC fails to properly sanitize or validate incoming wireless frames before processing them, allowing crafted malicious data to exploit memory handling or state management routines within the device's operating system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can severely compromise network availability and business continuity for organizations relying on wireless infrastructure. When a WLC device restarts due to this vulnerability, it affects all wireless clients connected to that controller, potentially disrupting critical business applications, communication systems, and access controls. Network administrators may experience significant downtime while the device recovers, and in enterprise environments, this could lead to productivity losses, security gaps, and potential compliance violations. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries do not require physical access or local network privileges to exploit the vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous in environments where wireless networks are accessible from external networks or where security boundaries are not properly enforced.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided security patches that address the specific flaw in software versions 7.4.110.0 and later. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enhanced to limit exposure of WLC devices to untrusted networks, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual restart patterns or network anomalies that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for network infrastructure devices and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.002 which covers network denial of service attacks. Administrators should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to monitor for 802.11 frame anomalies and establish incident response procedures to quickly address any exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability's remote exploitability makes it particularly suitable for automated attack scenarios that could affect multiple devices simultaneously across different network segments.