CVE-2018-0102 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

A flaw in the Pong tool of Cisco NX-OS Software could lead to a denial of service (DoS) situation by causing a reload of the affected device. This vulnerability affects Cisco Nexus 7000 and 7700 Series Switches running specific versions of Cisco NX-OS Software.

Understanding CVE-2018-0102

This CVE identifies a vulnerability in Cisco NX-OS Software that could be exploited by an unauthenticated attacker to trigger a DoS scenario.

What is CVE-2018-0102?

The vulnerability in the Pong tool of Cisco NX-OS Software allows an adjacent attacker to cause a reload of the affected device, resulting in a DoS condition. The flaw arises from repetitive freeing of the same memory area by the software.

The Impact of CVE-2018-0102

An unauthenticated attacker could exploit this vulnerability to instigate a reload of the dual or quad supervisor virtual port-channel (vPC) on affected devices, leading to a DoS situation.
The affected devices include Cisco Nexus 7000 Series Switches and Cisco Nexus 7700 Series Switches running specific versions of Cisco NX-OS Software.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-0102

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from the repetitive freeing of the same memory area by the affected software, allowing an attacker to exploit this weakness.

Affected Systems and Versions

Cisco Nexus 7000 Series Switches and Cisco Nexus 7700 Series Switches
Running Cisco NX-OS Software Release 7.2(1)D(1), 7.2(2)D1(1), or 7.2(2)D1(2)

Exploitation Mechanism

Attacker sends a pong request to the affected device from a specific network location
Pong reply packet egresses both a FabricPath port and a non-FabricPath port
This action triggers a reload of the dual or quad supervisor vPC

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2018-0102 requires immediate steps and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable the Pong and FabricPath features if not essential
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch Cisco NX-OS Software
Implement network segmentation and access controls

Patching and Updates

Apply the latest patches and updates provided by Cisco to address this vulnerability