CVE-2017-3825 in CollaborationTelePresence Collaboration Endpoint
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the ICMP ingress packet processing of Cisco TelePresence Collaboration Endpoint (CE) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause the TelePresence endpoint to reload unexpectedly, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability is due to incomplete input validation for the size of a received ICMP packet. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted ICMP packet to the local IP address of the targeted endpoint. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a DoS of the TelePresence endpoint, during which time calls could be dropped. This vulnerability would affect either IPv4 or IPv6 ICMP traffic. This vulnerability affects the following Cisco TelePresence products when running software release CE8.1.1, CE8.2.0, CE8.2.1, CE8.2.2, CE 8.3.0, or CE8.3.1: Spark Room OS, TelePresence DX Series, TelePresence MX Series, TelePresence SX Quick Set Series, TelePresence SX Series. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvb95396.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2017-3825 represents a critical denial of service weakness within Cisco TelePresence Collaboration Endpoint software ecosystems. This flaw specifically targets the ICMP ingress packet handling mechanisms of various Cisco TelePresence devices, including Spark Room OS, TelePresence DX Series, MX Series, SX Quick Set Series, and SX Series endpoints. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation procedures that fail to properly examine the size parameters of incoming ICMP packets, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's processing logic. The affected software versions CE8.1.1 through CE8.3.1 demonstrate this weakness across both IPv4 and IPv6 ICMP traffic protocols, making the attack surface particularly broad and impactful for organizations relying on these collaboration endpoints.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the transmission of specially crafted ICMP packets to the local IP address of the targeted endpoint. The incomplete input validation allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to manipulate packet size parameters in ways that trigger unexpected system behavior within the TelePresence software stack. When the endpoint receives these malformed packets, the system's ICMP processing module fails to properly handle the oversized or malformed data structures, leading to an abrupt system reload or restart. This process effectively disrupts the normal operation of the TelePresence endpoint, causing active calls to be terminated and rendering the device temporarily unusable for collaboration purposes. The vulnerability's design flaw lies in the absence of proper bounds checking and parameter validation within the ICMP packet parsing routine, which is categorized under CWE-129 Input Validation and Output Encoding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass significant business continuity concerns for organizations utilizing Cisco TelePresence solutions. During the denial of service event, active video conferencing sessions are abruptly terminated, potentially disrupting critical business communications, meetings, and collaborative workflows. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can initiate attacks from outside the local network perimeter, eliminating the need for physical access or network infiltration. This characteristic significantly increases the attack surface and makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where TelePresence systems are widely deployed. The fact that this affects multiple product series within the TelePresence ecosystem amplifies the potential impact across different organizational departments and geographical locations.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations to protect their TelePresence infrastructure. The primary recommended approach involves applying the relevant Cisco security patches and software updates that address the ICMP input validation weakness. Network administrators should also consider implementing access control lists or firewall rules to filter ICMP traffic to the affected endpoints, particularly when the endpoints are exposed to untrusted network segments. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual patterns of ICMP packet activity that might indicate attempted exploitation. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499 technique of Network Denial of Service, and organizations should consider implementing network segmentation strategies to limit the potential impact of such attacks. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation practices and demonstrates how seemingly benign network protocols can become attack vectors when not properly secured.