CVE-2014-2590 in Ruggedcom Rugged Operating System
Summary
by MITRE
The web management interface in Siemens RuggedCom ROS before 3.11, ROS 3.11 before 3.11.5 for RS950G, ROS 3.12, and ROS 4.0 for RSG2488 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (interface outage) via crafted HTTP packets.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/09/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2590 affects the web management interface of Siemens RuggedCom ROS operating systems across multiple versions including pre-3.11, 3.11 pre-3.11.5 for RS950G, ROS 3.12, and ROS 4.0 for RSG2488 devices. This weakness represents a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to disrupt system operations through specifically crafted HTTP packets. The affected devices are industrial networking equipment designed for harsh environments, making their reliability and continuous operation paramount for critical infrastructure deployments.
The technical implementation flaw resides in the web management interface's insufficient input validation and packet processing mechanisms within the HTTP protocol handling layer. When the system receives malformed or specially crafted HTTP packets, the interface fails to properly sanitize or reject these inputs, leading to a complete interface outage. This behavior demonstrates a classic buffer overflow or input validation vulnerability where the system does not adequately handle unexpected data structures or malformed requests that could cause the web server component to crash or become unresponsive. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the HTTP protocol's inherent characteristics to exploit the system's defensive mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it affects industrial control systems where network availability is critical for maintaining operational continuity. When the web management interface becomes unavailable, administrators lose the ability to monitor, configure, or troubleshoot the device remotely, potentially leading to extended downtime for critical network infrastructure. The attack vector requires only remote network access and does not demand elevated privileges or specialized equipment, making it particularly dangerous for industrial environments where physical security may be limited. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability aspect of the CIA triad and can be categorized under CWE-121 for buffer overflow conditions.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks and represents a significant risk to industrial control systems. The vulnerability affects devices that are commonly deployed in critical infrastructure sectors including energy, water, and transportation networks where continuous operation is essential. The lack of authentication requirements for exploitation means that any remote attacker with network access can potentially disrupt operations. Organizations implementing these devices should consider the vulnerability's impact on their operational technology infrastructure and the potential cascading effects that interface outages might have on connected systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-2590 should prioritize immediate firmware updates to the affected versions, specifically targeting ROS 3.11.5 and later releases for the RS950G platform, and the appropriate versions for RSG2488 devices. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of management interfaces to trusted networks only. Additionally, organizations should deploy intrusion detection systems capable of identifying malformed HTTP traffic patterns and consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect interface outages and alert administrators to potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date firmware for industrial networking equipment and demonstrates the critical need for robust input validation in embedded systems.