CVE-2015-0679 in Wireless LAN Controller
Summary
by MITRE
The web-authentication functionality on Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) devices 7.3(103.8) and 7.4(110.0) allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device reload) via a malformed password, aka Bug ID CSCui57980.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-0679 affects Cisco Wireless LAN Controller devices running specific software versions, creating a significant security risk through a remote denial of service condition. This flaw resides within the web-authentication functionality of the wireless infrastructure, specifically targeting the authentication process that handles user credentials. The vulnerability manifests when the system processes malformed password inputs during the web-authentication workflow, leading to unexpected device behavior that ultimately results in a complete device reload or reboot.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the authentication subsystem of the WLC software. When a remote attacker crafts and submits a malformed password string to the web-authentication interface, the system fails to properly sanitize or reject the invalid input. This processing error triggers an internal exception or buffer overflow condition within the authentication module, causing the device to crash and subsequently reload its operating system. The flaw represents a classic example of improper error handling and input validation that allows malicious input to disrupt normal system operations without requiring authentication credentials or elevated privileges.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-0679 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise network availability and business continuity. Organizations relying on Cisco WLC devices for wireless infrastructure management face significant risk when this vulnerability exists in their network environment, as unauthorized attackers can remotely initiate device reboots at will. This denial of service condition effectively renders the affected wireless access points unavailable, disrupting wireless connectivity for all connected devices and potentially affecting critical business operations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where wireless networks support mission-critical applications and services, as the device reload can occur without any indication of malicious activity, making detection and attribution difficult.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and demonstrates how insufficient sanitization of user inputs can lead to system instability. From an adversarial perspective, the vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network disruption through denial of service attacks, specifically targeting network infrastructure devices. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this weakness from outside the network perimeter without requiring physical access or legitimate credentials, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to disrupt wireless services. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Cisco security patches, configuring access control lists to restrict access to authentication interfaces, and monitoring network traffic for suspicious authentication attempts that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of regular security patch management and proper input validation in network infrastructure devices to prevent similar issues from compromising network availability and stability.