CVE-2018-0443 : Security Advisory and Response

A flaw in the Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points (CAPWAP) protocol component of Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) Software could potentially lead to unauthorized access and a denial of service (DoS) situation.

Understanding CVE-2018-0443

This CVE involves a vulnerability in the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Software that could allow attackers to disrupt the service by disconnecting associated access points.

What is CVE-2018-0443?

The vulnerability arises from the failure to properly validate input on certain fields within CAPWAP Discovery Request packets, enabling attackers to send malicious packets to the Cisco WLC Software.

The Impact of CVE-2018-0443

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Availability Impact: High
Base Score: 8.6 (High Severity)
Scope: Changed
No user interaction or privileges required

Technical Details of CVE-2018-0443

This section provides more in-depth technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw allows attackers to cause a DoS condition by disconnecting and reconnecting access points, resulting in service unavailability.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC)
Vendor: Cisco
Version: Not applicable

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers exploit the vulnerability by sending malicious CAPWAP Discovery Request packets to the Cisco WLC Software.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to address and prevent the CVE-2018-0443 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches and updates from Cisco.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity.
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch all software and firmware.
Conduct security assessments and penetration testing.
Educate users and IT staff on security best practices.

Patching and Updates

Cisco has released patches to address the vulnerability.