CVE-2014-7249 in Allied Telesis
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow on the Allied Telesis AR440S, AR441S, AR442S, AR745, AR750S, AR750S-DP, AT-8624POE, AT-8624T/2M, AT-8648T/2SP, AT-8748XL, AT-8848, AT-9816GB, AT-9924T, AT-9924Ts, CentreCOM AR415S, CentreCOM AR450S, CentreCOM AR550S, CentreCOM AR570S, CentreCOM 8700SL, CentreCOM 8948XL, CentreCOM 9924SP, CentreCOM 9924T/4SP, Rapier 48i, and SwitchBlade4000 with firmware before 2.9.1-21 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted HTTP POST request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2018
The Allied Telesis network switches affected by CVE-2014-7249 represent a critical buffer overflow vulnerability that exists within the HTTP server implementation of multiple device models including AR440S, AR441S, AR442S, AR745, AR750S, AR750S-DP, AT-8624POE, AT-8624T/2M, AT-8648T/2SP, AT-8748XL, AT-8848, AT-9816GB, AT-9924T, AT-9924Ts, CentreCOM AR415S, CentreCOM AR450S, CentreCOM AR550S, CentreCOM AR570S, CentreCOM 8700SL, CentreCOM 8948XL, CentreCOM 9924SP, CentreCOM 9924T/4SP, Rapier 48i, and SwitchBlade4000. This vulnerability specifically affects firmware versions prior to 2.9.1-21 and represents a severe security flaw that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected devices. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the HTTP POST request handling mechanism, where the system fails to properly bounds-check data received from network connections.
This buffer overflow condition creates an exploitable memory corruption vulnerability that can be leveraged by remote attackers without requiring authentication or physical access to the network equipment. The flaw occurs when the device receives a specially crafted HTTP POST request that exceeds the allocated buffer space, causing adjacent memory to be overwritten with attacker-controlled data. This memory corruption can potentially lead to arbitrary code execution, system crashes, or complete device compromise. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow scenarios, making it a particularly dangerous flaw in network infrastructure devices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as compromised network switches can serve as entry points for broader network infiltration attacks. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to the network infrastructure, potentially leading to man-in-the-middle attacks, network traffic interception, or complete network disruption. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that do not properly segment their network infrastructure or implement robust network monitoring solutions. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1071.005 Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols and T1068, which covers Exploitation for Privilege Escalation.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including firmware updates to version 2.9.1-21 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the buffer overflow condition. Network segmentation should be implemented to limit access to these critical network devices, and firewall rules should be configured to restrict HTTP access to only trusted administrative networks. Additionally, continuous network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be deployed to identify potential exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability can be exploited through standard web-based attacks. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure software development practices, particularly in embedded network devices, where proper input validation and memory management are critical for maintaining system integrity and preventing remote code execution attacks.