CVE-2016-10273 in Jensen
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple stack buffer overflow vulnerabilities in Jensen of Scandinavia AS Air:Link 3G (AL3G) version 2.23m (Rev. 3), Air:Link 5000AC (AL5000AC) version 1.13, and Air:Link 59300 (AL59300) version 1.04 (Rev. 4) devices allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or crash the web service via the (1) ateFunc, (2) ateGain, (3) ateTxCount, (4) ateChan, (5) ateRate, (6) ateMacID, (7) e2pTxPower1, (8) e2pTxPower2, (9) e2pTxPower3, (10) e2pTxPower4, (11) e2pTxPower5, (12) e2pTxPower6, (13) e2pTxPower7, (14) e2pTx2Power1, (15) e2pTx2Power2, (16) e2pTx2Power3, (17) e2pTx2Power4, (18) e2pTx2Power5, (19) e2pTx2Power6, (20) e2pTx2Power7, (21) ateTxFreqOffset, (22) ateMode, (23) ateBW, (24) ateAntenna, (25) e2pTxFreqOffset, (26) e2pTxPwDeltaB, (27) e2pTxPwDeltaG, (28) e2pTxPwDeltaMix, (29) e2pTxPwDeltaN, and (30) readE2P parameters of the /goform/formWlanMP endpoint.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/20/2020
The CVE-2016-10273 vulnerability represents a critical stack buffer overflow issue affecting several wireless networking devices manufactured by Jensen of Scandinavia AS, specifically the Air:Link 3G, Air:Link 5000AC, and Air:Link 59300 models. These devices operate with firmware versions that contain multiple exploitable buffer overflow conditions within their web management interfaces, creating significant security risks for organizations relying on these networking appliances. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the /goform/formWlanMP endpoint, which processes various parameters related to wireless transmission and calibration settings. The affected parameters encompass a wide range of wireless configuration values including transmission power settings, frequency offsets, channel configurations, and antenna parameters, all of which are processed without proper bounds checking.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through remote manipulation of HTTP parameters sent to the affected web service endpoint. When attackers submit maliciously crafted input data to any of the 30 vulnerable parameters, the application fails to validate the input length against the allocated stack buffer space, resulting in memory corruption that can be leveraged to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This memory corruption typically manifests as stack smashing conditions that can be exploited to redirect program execution flow, potentially allowing remote code execution with the privileges of the web service process. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects multiple device models and firmware versions, indicating a systemic design flaw rather than an isolated incident, with the specific parameters ranging from ateFunc to readE2P representing various aspects of wireless device configuration and calibration.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-10273 extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass full system compromise and potential network infiltration. Remote attackers who successfully exploit these buffer overflows can execute arbitrary code on the affected devices, potentially gaining persistent access to the wireless network infrastructure. This capability allows for man-in-the-middle attacks, network reconnaissance, and the establishment of persistent backdoors within the organization's wireless ecosystem. The vulnerability affects devices that are commonly deployed in enterprise and industrial environments where wireless connectivity is critical for operations, making the potential impact substantial. Organizations using these devices may experience complete service outages, data exfiltration, or unauthorized access to sensitive network resources, with the attack surface extending to any system that relies on the compromised wireless infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from Jensen of Scandinavia AS, as the manufacturer has likely released patches addressing these buffer overflow conditions. Network administrators should implement network segmentation to limit access to these devices, restrict web management access to trusted IP addresses, and deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which is categorized under the broader class of memory safety issues that frequently appear in embedded systems and network appliances. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving remote code execution and privilege escalation, potentially enabling adversaries to move laterally within networks through compromised wireless infrastructure. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous parameter submissions to the affected endpoint and establish incident response procedures for potential exploitation events, as the nature of these vulnerabilities often requires immediate remediation to prevent successful exploitation attempts.