CVE-2020-6881 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

ZTE E8810/E8820/E8822 series routers are vulnerable to an MQTT Denial of Service (DoS) attack due to a failure in message validation. Attackers can exploit this flaw to disrupt services.

Understanding CVE-2020-6881

What is CVE-2020-6881?

The vulnerability in ZTE routers allows remote attackers to send malicious MQTT messages, leading to a denial of service.

The Impact of CVE-2020-6881

The vulnerability enables attackers to disrupt services on affected ZTE routers, potentially causing downtime and service unavailability.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-6881

Vulnerability Description

ZTE E8810/E8820/E8822 routers are susceptible to an MQTT DoS vulnerability due to inadequate message validation.

Affected Systems and Versions

Products: ZXHN E8810, ZXHN E8820, ZXHN E8822
Versions: E8810 V1.0.26, E8810 V2.0.1, E8820 V1.1.3L, E8820 V2.0.13, E8822 V2.0.13

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by sending MQTT exception messages to the device, triggering a denial of service.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update router firmware to the latest version provided by ZTE.
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor network traffic for any anomalies or suspicious activities.
Conduct security assessments and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories from ZTE and promptly apply patches to mitigate known vulnerabilities.