CVE-2020-3111 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability in the Cisco Discovery Protocol implementation for the Cisco IP Phone could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to remotely execute code with root privileges or cause a reload of an affected IP phone.

Understanding CVE-2020-3111

This CVE involves a critical vulnerability in Cisco IP Phone devices that could lead to remote code execution and denial of service attacks.

What is CVE-2020-3111?

The vulnerability in the Cisco Discovery Protocol implementation for the Cisco IP Phone allows attackers in the same broadcast domain to execute code with root privileges or cause a reload of the IP phone.

The Impact of CVE-2020-3111

Attackers can remotely execute code with root privileges or cause a denial of service condition on affected IP phones.
The vulnerability poses a high risk to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the devices.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-3111

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability is a result of missing checks when processing Cisco Discovery Protocol messages, allowing attackers to exploit the flaw by sending crafted packets to the targeted IP phone.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Cisco IP Phone
Vendor: Cisco
Versions Affected: Less than 12.7(1) (unspecified)

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Adjacent Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Exploitation requires the attacker to be in the same broadcast domain as the affected device.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from this vulnerability requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply vendor-provided patches and updates promptly.
Implement network segmentation to limit broadcast domain exposure.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch all software and firmware on IP phones.
Conduct security awareness training for employees to recognize and report potential security threats.

Patching and Updates

Cisco has released patches to address this vulnerability. Ensure all affected devices are updated with the latest firmware to mitigate the risk of exploitation.