CVE-2018-0230 : What You Need to Know

A vulnerability in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software for Cisco Firepower 2100 Series Security Appliances could allow a remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) situation by sending malicious IPv4 or IPv6 packets.

Understanding CVE-2018-0230

This CVE involves a flaw in the internal packet-processing function of Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software for Cisco Firepower 2100 Series Security Appliances.

What is CVE-2018-0230?

The vulnerability allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to disrupt network traffic processing on the affected device, leading to a DoS scenario. It stems from the software's failure to properly validate IPv4 and IPv6 packets after reassembling them following IP Fragmentation.

The Impact of CVE-2018-0230

Exploiting this vulnerability can cause the affected device to stop processing network traffic, resulting in a DoS situation until manual rebooting is performed. The attacker can make the Snort processes on the device unresponsive, utilizing 100% of the CPU.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-0230

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software allows attackers to disrupt network traffic processing by sending malicious fragmented IPv4 or IPv6 packets.

Affected Systems and Versions

Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software Releases 6.2.1 and 6.2.2
Cisco Firepower 2100 Series Security Appliances

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers send a sequence of malevolent, fragmented IPv4 or IPv6 packets to the targeted device
Successful exploitation leads to Snort processes becoming unresponsive, utilizing 100% of the CPU
Device stops processing network traffic until manually rebooted

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2018-0230 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply vendor-supplied patches and updates promptly
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity
Implement firewall rules to restrict access to vulnerable services

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software and firmware
Conduct security assessments and penetration testing
Educate users and administrators on cybersecurity best practices

Patching and Updates

Cisco has released patches to address this vulnerability
Ensure all affected systems are updated with the latest software versions