CVE-2023-49699 in Falcon
Summary
by MITRE • 11/30/2023
Memory Corruption in IMS while calling VoLTE Streamingmedia Interface
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/20/2023
This vulnerability involves a memory corruption issue within the Intelligent Media Services component of telecommunications infrastructure when processing VoLTE streaming media interface calls. The flaw occurs during the handling of multimedia sessions that utilize the IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) architecture, specifically when establishing or managing voice over LTE connections with streaming media components. The memory corruption manifests when the system processes certain parameters or data structures associated with the streaming media interface, potentially leading to unpredictable behavior and system instability.
The technical root cause stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the IMS subsystem's handling of VoLTE streaming media requests. When processing media session establishment messages, the system fails to properly validate buffer boundaries or handle malformed data structures that may be passed through the streaming media interface. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the core of telecommunications infrastructure where reliability and security are paramount. The flaw can be exploited through specially crafted media session parameters that cause memory overflows or underflows during processing, potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes as it affects the fundamental communication capabilities within mobile networks. Network operators relying on IMS-based VoLTE services could experience widespread disruption to voice and video calling services when exploited. The vulnerability creates potential attack vectors for malicious actors to compromise network infrastructure, potentially leading to service denial, unauthorized access to communications, or even data interception. Given that IMS is a critical component of 4G LTE networks and serves as the foundation for VoLTE services, exploitation could result in significant business disruption and security breaches affecting millions of users.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation mechanisms within the IMS subsystem and applying security patches to address the specific memory handling flaws. Network administrators must ensure proper boundary checking and memory allocation practices are enforced throughout the streaming media interface processing pipeline. The implementation of intrusion detection systems capable of identifying anomalous media session parameters can provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the IMS architecture. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation strategies to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation and maintain detailed monitoring of voice and video calling services for unusual patterns that may indicate vulnerability exploitation.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, addressing heap-based buffer overflow scenarios. The attack surface maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution, as successful exploitation may enable attackers to execute malicious code within the telecommunications infrastructure. The vulnerability also relates to ATT&CK tactic TA0040, specifically privilege escalation through system compromise of critical network infrastructure components. Network security professionals should treat this as a high-priority vulnerability requiring immediate assessment and remediation across all IMS implementations supporting VoLTE services.