CVE-2015-2255 in AR1220
Summary
by MITRE
Huawei AR1220 routers with software before V200R005SPH006 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (board reset) via vectors involving a large amount of traffic from the GE port to the FE port.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2255 affects Huawei AR1220 routers running firmware versions prior to V200R005SPH006, presenting a significant remote denial of service risk that can result in complete system reset. This flaw resides in the router's traffic handling mechanisms and specifically targets the interaction between Gigabit Ethernet (GE) and Fast Ethernet (FE) ports, making it particularly concerning for network infrastructure devices that rely on proper traffic forwarding capabilities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and traffic processing controls within the router's network processing engine. When malicious actors flood the GE port with substantial traffic volumes and direct this traffic toward the FE port, the router's processing unit becomes overwhelmed and unable to properly manage the traffic flow. This condition triggers a system-level reset mechanism that ultimately results in complete service interruption. The flaw operates at the network layer where packet processing and port forwarding decisions are made, making it difficult to detect through standard network monitoring tools as it appears to be legitimate traffic processing behavior.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability represents a critical threat to network availability and business continuity for organizations relying on Huawei AR1220 routers. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this flaw from outside the network perimeter without requiring physical access or local credentials, making it particularly dangerous for critical infrastructure deployments. The resulting board reset can take several minutes to complete, during which network services become completely unavailable, potentially affecting thousands of connected devices and causing significant operational disruption. The vulnerability also impacts network security posture by providing an easy method for attackers to disrupt services, which could be used as part of larger attack campaigns or as a precursor to more sophisticated exploitation attempts.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in relation to CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input boundaries, and CWE-242, which covers the use of potentially dangerous functions. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network disruption through resource exhaustion, and T1566.001, which involves spearphishing with social engineering. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patch to firmware version V200R005SPH006, implementing network access controls to limit exposure of affected routers to untrusted networks, and monitoring for unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and rate limiting policies should be deployed to prevent large-scale traffic flooding from reaching vulnerable ports, while regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify other potential network infrastructure weaknesses that could be exploited in similar fashion.