CVE-2015-0637 in IOS
Summary
by MITRE
The Autonomic Networking Infrastructure (ANI) implementation in Cisco IOS 12.2, 12.4, 15.0, 15.2, 15.3, and 15.4 and IOS XE 3.10.xS through 3.13.xS before 3.13.1S allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device reload) via spoofed AN messages, aka Bug ID CSCup62315.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/16/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2015-0637 affects the Autonomic Networking Infrastructure implementation within Cisco IOS and IOS XE operating systems across multiple versions including 12.2, 12.4, 15.0, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4 and IOS XE 3.10.xS through 3.13.xS before 3.13.1S. This represents a significant security flaw that impacts network infrastructure devices running these software versions, potentially affecting millions of networked devices worldwide. The vulnerability specifically resides in how the ANI handles incoming messages, creating a condition where malicious actors can exploit the system through crafted network traffic.
The technical flaw manifests through the improper validation of Autonomic Networking Infrastructure messages within the Cisco IOS implementation. When devices receive spoofed AN messages, the system fails to properly authenticate or validate these communications, leading to a critical processing error that ultimately causes the device to reload or crash. This behavior represents a classic denial of service condition that can be triggered remotely without requiring authentication or physical access to the device. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the ANI subsystem, allowing attackers to craft malicious messages that exploit the device's message processing logic.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it can affect critical network infrastructure components that rely on autonomic networking capabilities for self-management and configuration. Network administrators who have deployed devices with affected software versions face the risk of unauthorized service disruption that could compromise network availability and reliability. The remote exploitability means that attackers can target these devices from anywhere on the network without requiring local access, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise and service provider environments where network availability is paramount. This vulnerability specifically maps to CWE-20, which addresses "Improper Input Validation" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for "Network Denial of Service" within the adversary tactics and techniques framework.
Organizations should prioritize immediate mitigation through the application of Cisco's recommended security patches and updates, particularly upgrading to IOS XE 3.13.1S or later versions that contain the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of affected devices to untrusted networks, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect unusual device reloading patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of network intrusion detection systems capable of identifying spoofed AN messages can provide additional layers of defense against this specific attack vector, ensuring that network infrastructure remains resilient against such remote denial of service threats.