CVE-2018-0470 in IOS XE
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the web framework of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a buffer overflow condition on an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability is due to the affected software improperly parsing malformed HTTP packets that are destined to a device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a malformed HTTP packet to an affected device for processing. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a buffer overflow condition on the affected device, resulting in a DoS condition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0470 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Cisco IOS XE Software's web framework implementation. This weakness specifically manifests when the affected system processes malformed HTTP packets destined for the device. The buffer overflow condition occurs due to insufficient input validation and improper parsing mechanisms within the web framework's handling of HTTP protocol elements. The vulnerability exists at the protocol parsing layer where the system fails to properly validate the boundaries of incoming HTTP packet data, creating an exploitable condition that can be triggered remotely without authentication requirements.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages the web framework's insufficient validation of HTTP packet structures, particularly focusing on malformed packet headers or content that exceeds allocated buffer boundaries. When an attacker crafts and sends specifically designed malformed HTTP packets to an affected Cisco IOS XE device, the system's web framework processes these packets without proper boundary checks, leading to memory corruption and subsequent buffer overflow. This condition results in the device's web services becoming unstable and ultimately causing a complete denial of service state where legitimate users cannot access the device's web interface or associated services.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to network availability and business continuity. The remote and unauthenticated nature of the exploit means that any attacker with network access to the affected device can trigger the DoS condition, potentially disrupting critical network operations and services. The vulnerability affects Cisco IOS XE Software versions that implement the web framework, which is commonly deployed across various network infrastructure devices including routers and switches. The DoS condition not only impacts web-based management access but can also potentially affect other services running on the same platform, leading to cascading operational failures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-0470 should prioritize immediate software updates and patches from Cisco, as the vendor has released security advisories addressing this specific vulnerability. Network administrators should implement access control measures to restrict HTTP traffic to only trusted sources and consider disabling unnecessary web services when possible. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions in stack-based buffers, and represents a classic example of improper input validation leading to memory corruption. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique for network denial of service attacks, where adversaries leverage protocol parsing weaknesses to disrupt service availability. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect anomalous HTTP traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts and establish robust incident response procedures to quickly address any DoS conditions that may occur.