CVE-2023-2379 in EdgeRouter X
Summary
by MITRE • 04/28/2023
A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X up to 2.0.9-hotfix.6. This affects an unknown part of the component Web Service. The manipulation leads to denial of service. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-227655.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-2379 represents a critical security flaw in Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X firmware versions up to 2.0.9-hotfix.6, specifically impacting the web service component that governs the device's administrative interface. This vulnerability falls under the category of denial of service attacks and demonstrates a significant weakness in the router's web server implementation. The affected system component handles HTTP requests and responses through its web service layer, which serves as the primary interface for remote administration and configuration management. The flaw allows an unauthenticated attacker to disrupt the normal operation of the device by exploiting a weakness in how the web service processes certain requests or handles specific input parameters. Given that the web service is exposed to remote networks and serves as the primary management interface, this vulnerability presents an immediate threat to network infrastructure security.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through remote network access, eliminating the need for physical proximity or local network presence. The attack vector operates through the web service component that manages the device's administrative portal, potentially leveraging malformed HTTP requests or specific parameter combinations that cause the web server to crash or become unresponsive. This type of denial of service vulnerability typically involves the web service process consuming excessive resources, entering an infinite loop, or experiencing a memory corruption issue that results in service interruption. The public disclosure of the exploit, as indicated by the VDB-227655 identifier, means that threat actors can readily implement this attack without requiring advanced technical skills or specialized tools. The vulnerability's classification as critical indicates that the impact extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromising network availability and business continuity operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-2379 extends far beyond simple service interruption, as the EdgeRouter X serves as a critical network infrastructure component in many enterprise and small business environments. When the web service becomes unavailable, network administrators lose the ability to remotely manage and configure the device, potentially leading to extended downtime for network services. The affected device may become completely inaccessible for administrative tasks, requiring physical intervention or recovery procedures that could take considerable time. Organizations relying on the EdgeRouter X for routing, firewall, and network security functions face potential network outages that could affect business operations, customer access, and service availability. The vulnerability's exposure of the web service to remote exploitation means that attackers can potentially target multiple devices simultaneously, amplifying the impact across networks. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-400, which covers uncontrolled resource consumption, and may also involve CWE-122, which addresses heap-based buffer overflow conditions. The attack patterns align with ATT&CK techniques involving service stoppage and network disruption, specifically targeting network infrastructure components that serve as critical points of access for administrative functions.
Organizations must implement immediate mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability, beginning with firmware updates from Ubiquiti that contain patches for the identified web service flaw. The recommended approach involves conducting thorough vulnerability assessments across all EdgeRouter X deployments to identify affected devices and prioritize remediation efforts. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of the web service to trusted networks only, while monitoring for anomalous traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malicious requests targeting the vulnerable web service component. The implementation of these mitigations should follow established security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 controls for system and information integrity, ensuring comprehensive protection against both current and potential future exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to maintain awareness of similar vulnerabilities that may affect other network infrastructure components, particularly those utilizing web-based management interfaces.