CVE-2015-8254 in Videofied Device
Summary
by MITRE
The Frontel protocol before 3 on RSI Video Technologies Videofied devices does not use integrity protection, which makes it easier for man-in-the-middle attackers to (1) initiate a false alarm or (2) deactivate an alarm by modifying the client-server data stream.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8254 affects Frontel protocol implementations in RSI Video Technologies Videofied devices prior to version 3. This represents a critical security flaw in the communication protocol used for alarm systems and video surveillance equipment. The vulnerability stems from the absence of data integrity protection mechanisms within the Frontel protocol, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors who can manipulate the communication between client and server components. The protocol's design fails to implement cryptographic integrity checks or message authentication codes, leaving the data transmission vulnerable to manipulation without detection.
The technical flaw manifests in the protocol's inability to verify the authenticity and integrity of transmitted data packets. Attackers can exploit this weakness by intercepting the client-server communication stream and modifying messages to either trigger false alarms or disable legitimate alarm systems. This vulnerability directly violates the principles of data integrity as defined in cybersecurity frameworks and represents a CWE-311 weakness, specifically concerning the absence of data integrity protection. The lack of integrity mechanisms means that any modification to the data stream during transmission remains undetected by the receiving system, allowing attackers to manipulate alarm states without triggering any security alerts or system warnings.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for security infrastructure deployments that rely on Videofied devices. An attacker with network access can compromise the entire alarm system by either flooding the system with false positive alarms that could overwhelm security personnel or by disabling real alarms during critical security events. This creates a false sense of security while simultaneously allowing actual threats to go undetected. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and T1566 for credential manipulation, as attackers can exploit the protocol to manipulate security system states without requiring authentication or credential theft. Organizations using these devices face potential liability issues, as the vulnerability could be exploited to create security breaches or to prevent detection of actual security incidents.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8254 require immediate attention through firmware updates from RSI Video Technologies to implement proper data integrity protection mechanisms. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect anomalous communication patterns that might indicate protocol manipulation attempts. Organizations should consider deploying network intrusion detection systems that can monitor for unusual alarm state changes or communication anomalies. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing robust cryptographic protection for all security-related communications, as outlined in NIST SP 800-57 guidelines for cryptographic key management. Additionally, network administrators should implement secure communication channels using encrypted protocols such as TLS or IPSec to protect against man-in-the-middle attacks that exploit the protocol's weaknesses. Regular security assessments and penetration testing of security infrastructure should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other communication protocols used within security systems.