CVE-2016-1472 in Small Business 220
Summary
by MITRE
The web-based management interface on Cisco Small Business 220 devices with firmware before 1.0.1.1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (interface outage) via a crafted HTTP request, aka Bug ID CSCuz76238.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/14/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1472 affects Cisco Small Business 220 series network switches, specifically targeting the web-based management interface. This issue represents a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to disrupt network operations through carefully constructed HTTP requests. The affected devices operate with firmware versions prior to 1.0.1.1, making them susceptible to this particular attack vector. The vulnerability manifests as a denial of service condition that results in complete interface outages, effectively rendering the network switch management capabilities inaccessible to authorized users.
The technical nature of this flaw lies in the insufficient input validation and request handling mechanisms within the web interface component of the Cisco Small Business 220 devices. When a malicious actor sends a crafted HTTP request to the vulnerable management interface, the system fails to properly process the malformed input, leading to a cascade of failures that ultimately causes the interface to become unresponsive. This behavior aligns with CWE-129, which describes issues related to insufficient input validation, and represents a classic example of how malformed input can lead to system instability and service disruption. The vulnerability exploits weaknesses in the HTTP request parsing logic, where the device does not adequately sanitize or validate the incoming request parameters before processing them.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-1472 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it compromises the fundamental availability of network management capabilities. Network administrators lose the ability to monitor, configure, or troubleshoot the affected switches remotely, which creates significant operational challenges for network maintenance and incident response. This vulnerability particularly affects small business networks where IT resources may be limited, making the loss of management interface access more severe. The attack requires no authentication, making it extremely dangerous as any remote attacker can exploit this weakness without prior access credentials. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a denial of service attack technique, specifically under the T1499.004 sub-technique for network denial of service, which emphasizes how adversaries can disrupt network services through manipulation of system resources.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate firmware updates to version 1.0.1.1 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the input validation deficiencies. Network segmentation strategies should be implemented to limit exposure of these devices to untrusted networks, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect anomalous HTTP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The mitigation approach should also include disabling unnecessary web management interfaces when not actively required, as this reduces the attack surface available to potential adversaries. Additionally, implementing network access controls and firewall rules to restrict access to the management interface to trusted IP addresses can provide additional layers of defense against this particular vulnerability.