CVE-2016-0877 in EDR-G903
Summary
by MITRE
Memory leak on Moxa Secure Router EDR-G903 devices before 3.4.12 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by executing the ping function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0877 affects Moxa Secure Router EDR-G903 devices running firmware versions prior to 3.4.12, representing a critical memory management flaw that can be exploited remotely to execute a denial of service attack. This issue specifically targets the ping function implementation within the device's network stack, where improper memory allocation and deallocation mechanisms create persistent memory leaks that gradually consume available system resources. The vulnerability resides in the device's handling of network diagnostic commands, particularly those related to internet protocol connectivity testing, making it accessible to remote attackers without requiring authentication or physical access to the device.
The technical flaw manifests through a memory leak condition that occurs when the ping function processes malformed or excessively large input parameters. When remote attackers send crafted ping requests to the affected device, the system allocates memory blocks to handle the request but fails to properly release these allocations upon completion of the operation. This memory management error creates a gradual accumulation of unreleased memory segments that eventually exhaust the device's available memory resources, leading to system instability and complete service disruption. The vulnerability is classified as a memory leak under CWE-401 and represents a specific implementation weakness in the device's network protocol handling that violates standard resource management practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass potential business continuity issues for organizations relying on these industrial network devices. Attackers can maintain prolonged denial of service conditions by repeatedly executing the ping function, causing the device to consume increasing amounts of memory over time until the system becomes unresponsive or requires manual rebooting. This vulnerability particularly affects industrial environments where network availability is critical for operational technology systems, as the device may be located in remote or hard-to-access locations, making remediation challenging. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no authentication credentials and can be executed from any network location capable of reaching the device's network interface, making it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to disrupt industrial control systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-0877 should prioritize immediate firmware updates to version 3.4.12 or later, which contain patched memory management routines that properly handle resource allocation and deallocation for ping operations. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to restrict unauthorized access to the device's management interfaces, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect unusual memory consumption patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on suspicious ping traffic patterns, as outlined in the attack techniques documented under the MITRE ATT&CK framework for network service disruption. Additionally, regular vulnerability assessments and network scanning should be conducted to identify other potentially vulnerable devices within the industrial control network environment, ensuring comprehensive protection against similar memory management vulnerabilities.