CVE-2015-3913 in Campus
Summary
by MITRE
The IP stack in multiple Huawei Campus series switch models allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (reboot) via a crafted ICMP request message.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-3913 affects multiple Huawei Campus series switch models and represents a critical denial of service flaw within the Internet Protocol stack implementation. This vulnerability specifically targets the handling of Internet Control Message Protocol requests, which are fundamental components of network communication used for diagnostics and error reporting. The flaw exists in how these network devices process incoming ICMP messages, creating an exploitable condition that remote attackers can leverage to disrupt network operations. The affected Huawei Campus series switches are widely deployed in enterprise and educational environments where reliable network infrastructure is essential for business continuity and academic operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the ICMP processing module of the affected switch firmware. When a maliciously crafted ICMP request is received by the vulnerable switch, the device fails to properly handle the malformed packet structure, leading to unexpected behavior in the network stack. This improper handling eventually triggers a system reboot, effectively causing a denial of service condition that can persist until manual intervention occurs. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires no authentication or specialized privileges to exploit, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can reach the switch's network interface. The flaw demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where the system does not adequately sanitize or validate incoming network traffic before processing it within the kernel-level network stack components.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to network availability and business continuity for organizations relying on Huawei Campus switches. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can potentially disrupt network services from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access or network credentials. The resulting service interruption can affect multiple network services including voice over IP communications, data transfers, and critical business applications that depend on stable network connectivity. Organizations may experience extended downtime while administrators must manually restart affected devices and investigate the incident, leading to productivity losses and potential financial impacts. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for more sophisticated attacks where the initial denial of service may serve as a precursor to additional exploitation attempts, as attackers can use the disruption to create cover for other malicious activities within the network environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-3913 should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term defensive measures to protect against similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should prioritize applying the official firmware updates provided by Huawei to address the specific ICMP processing flaw in their affected switch models. Network administrators should also implement ingress filtering and access control lists to limit ICMP traffic to only trusted sources, effectively reducing the attack surface for this particular vulnerability. The implementation of network segmentation and monitoring solutions can help detect anomalous ICMP traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. From a broader security perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which describes improper input validation, and represents a classic example of how insufficient error handling in network protocols can lead to system instability. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious ICMP packet structures and alert administrators to potential exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under the 'Network Service Scanning' and 'System Shutdown/Reboot' techniques, emphasizing the importance of monitoring for such activities in network environments where these switches are deployed. Regular vulnerability assessments and network configuration reviews should be conducted to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in other network infrastructure components, ensuring comprehensive protection against both current and emerging threats.