CVE-2016-0878 in EDR-G903
Summary
by MITRE
Moxa Secure Router EDR-G903 devices before 3.4.12 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (cold start) by sending two crafted ping requests.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2018
The Moxa Secure Router EDR-G903 represents a critical network infrastructure device that serves as a gateway for industrial and enterprise environments. These routers are designed to provide secure connectivity and network management capabilities for various industrial control systems and networked devices. The vulnerability described in CVE-2016-0878 specifically targets the device's handling of ping requests, which are fundamental network diagnostic tools used to test connectivity and network reachability. The affected versions prior to 3.4.12 demonstrate a particularly concerning flaw in the router's input validation and resource management mechanisms. This vulnerability operates at the network protocol level and affects the device's ability to maintain stable operation under normal network conditions.
The technical flaw manifests when the router receives two specifically crafted ping requests in sequence. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of ICMP packet processing within the router's firmware, where the device fails to properly validate incoming ping parameters before processing them. This lack of input sanitization creates a condition where maliciously formatted ping packets can trigger unexpected behavior in the router's operating system. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to manipulate the router's internal state machine through carefully constructed network traffic, leading to a complete system restart or cold boot. The vulnerability is classified as a denial of service condition that results in a system-wide reboot, effectively rendering the network infrastructure unavailable.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass potential business continuity issues and industrial control system reliability concerns. In industrial environments where these routers serve as critical network gateways, a denial of service attack can lead to production downtime, safety system failures, and significant financial losses. The cold start condition means that the router must completely restart its operating system, potentially losing configuration settings and requiring manual intervention to restore network connectivity. Network administrators may experience extended downtime while troubleshooting the issue, especially in environments where multiple routers are deployed across distributed facilities. The vulnerability affects devices that are typically deployed in environments with limited physical access, making remote exploitation particularly dangerous.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve immediate firmware updates to version 3.4.12 or later, which contain patched code addressing the ICMP processing flaw. Network administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of these devices to untrusted networks. The implementation of intrusion detection systems can help identify suspicious ping traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider network monitoring solutions that can detect router restart events and automatically alert administrators to potential security incidents. From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input boundaries, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.002 for network denial of service attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and resource management in embedded systems, particularly those serving critical infrastructure roles where reliability is paramount.