CVE-2014-3264 in ASA
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software 9.1(.5) and earlier allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (device reload) via crafted attributes in a RADIUS packet, aka Bug ID CSCun69561.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/17/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-3264 affects Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software versions 9.1.5 and earlier, representing a significant security flaw that can be exploited by remote authenticated attackers to trigger a denial of service condition. This vulnerability specifically targets the RADIUS packet processing functionality within the ASA software, creating a path for malicious actors to disrupt network operations through carefully crafted packet attributes. The issue was identified under Bug ID CSCun69561, highlighting its impact on enterprise network security infrastructure. The vulnerability resides in the way the ASA device handles authentication requests from RADIUS servers, particularly when processing malformed or specially constructed attributes within these packets.
The technical flaw manifests when the ASA device receives a RADIUS packet containing crafted attributes that cause the device to crash or restart during the authentication process. This occurs due to insufficient input validation and error handling within the RADIUS processing module of the ASA software. When the device encounters these malformed attributes, it fails to properly sanitize the input data before processing, leading to an unhandled exception that results in the device reloading or rebooting. The vulnerability requires authentication to exploit, meaning that an attacker must first establish valid credentials to access the ASA device, but once authenticated, they can leverage this flaw to cause operational disruption. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-129, Input Validation, and CWE-248, Uncaught Exception, demonstrating the intersection of improper input handling and exception management failures in network security appliances.
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 Cisco ASA devices for their security infrastructure. When an ASA device reloads due to this vulnerability, it can cause temporary network outages, disrupt ongoing network sessions, and potentially create security gaps during the device restart process. Network administrators may experience challenges in maintaining consistent security posture as the device reinitializes, and the timing of such disruptions can be particularly problematic during critical business hours or security incident response activities. The vulnerability affects organizations with RADIUS-based authentication implementations, which are common in enterprise environments where centralized authentication is used for network access control. This creates a significant risk for organizations that depend on ASA devices for their security operations, as the attack surface expands to include authenticated users who may have legitimate access to the device.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3264 should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening measures. The primary recommendation involves upgrading the affected Cisco ASA software to version 9.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the RADIUS packet processing vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit the attack surface and reduce the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Monitoring network traffic for unusual RADIUS packet patterns and implementing intrusion detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, access controls should be strictly enforced to limit who can authenticate to the ASA device, as this vulnerability requires authentication to exploit. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, Network Denial of Service, and represents a critical weakness in network infrastructure security that organizations must address through proper patch management and security monitoring practices. Regular vulnerability assessments and security audits should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other network security devices and ensure comprehensive protection against similar attack vectors.