CVE-2014-2201 in NX-OS
Summary
by MITRE
The Message Transfer Service (MTS) in Cisco NX-OS before 6.2(7) on MDS 9000 devices and 6.0 before 6.0(2) on Nexus 7000 devices allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and kernel panic) via a large volume of crafted traffic, aka Bug ID CSCtw98915.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2201 represents a critical denial of service weakness within Cisco's network operating system NX-OS affecting specific hardware platforms including MDS 9000 and Nexus 7000 series switches. This flaw exists within the Message Transfer Service component which handles critical network communication functions, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise network infrastructure. The vulnerability manifests when the system processes a large volume of specially crafted network traffic that triggers a NULL pointer dereference condition leading to a kernel panic and subsequent system crash. This represents a fundamental failure in input validation and memory management within the network operating system's core services.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages the Message Transfer Service's insufficient validation of incoming traffic patterns, particularly those involving malformed or excessive data packets that cause the system to attempt to dereference a null memory pointer. When this occurs within the kernel space of the operating system, it results in an immediate system crash and complete service disruption. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple service interruption as it can cause complete system reboot cycles, potentially leading to extended network downtime and operational disruption. This type of flaw aligns with CWE-476 which specifically addresses NULL pointer dereference conditions in software systems, demonstrating how improper memory management can lead to complete system compromise.
From an operational perspective, the vulnerability presents significant risk to enterprise networks that rely on Cisco's MDS 9000 and Nexus 7000 platforms for critical data center connectivity and storage area network operations. The remote attack vector means that adversaries can exploit this weakness without requiring physical access or local network privileges, making it particularly dangerous for environments where network security is paramount. The requirement for "large volume" of crafted traffic suggests that this vulnerability may be difficult to exploit in a targeted manner, but the potential for cascading failures across interconnected systems makes it a serious concern for network administrators. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability aspect of the CIA triad and can be classified under ATT&CK technique T1499 which covers network denial of service attacks.
Network administrators should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates that address the underlying NULL pointer dereference issue. The recommended approach involves upgrading to the patched versions of NX-OS software specifically mentioned in the advisory, which include versions 6.2(7) for MDS 9000 devices and 6.0(2) for Nexus 7000 devices. Additionally, implementing traffic filtering mechanisms and rate limiting policies can help reduce the risk of exploitation by limiting the volume of traffic that can reach vulnerable systems. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation strategies to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification as a kernel-level issue emphasizes the importance of maintaining current system patch management processes and conducting regular security assessments of critical network infrastructure components.