CVE-2023-38321 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
CVE-2023-38321 allows remote attackers to cause denial of service in Sierra Wireless ALEOS and other products via specific requests to OpenNDS, exploiting a vulnerability in /opennds_auth/.
OpenNDS, as used in Sierra Wireless ALEOS before 4.17.0.12 and other products, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference, daemon crash, and Captive Portal outage) via a GET request to /opennds_auth/ that lacks a custom query string parameter and client-token.
Understanding CVE-2023-38321
This CVE pertains to a vulnerability in OpenNDS, affecting certain versions of Sierra Wireless ALEOS and other products, potentially leading to denial of service attacks.
What is CVE-2023-38321?
The CVE-2023-38321 vulnerability enables remote attackers to trigger a denial of service through specific requests, resulting in service disruption.
The Impact of CVE-2023-38321
The impact includes a NULL pointer dereference, daemon crash, and Captive Portal outage, significantly affecting the availability of services.
Technical Details of CVE-2023-38321
The following details shed light on the technical aspects of CVE-2023-38321.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability allows attackers to exploit OpenNDS to cause a denial of service by sending specific requests to /opennds_auth/ without the required parameters.
Affected Systems and Versions
Sierra Wireless ALEOS versions prior to 4.17.0.12 and other products utilizing OpenNDS are affected by this vulnerability.
Exploitation Mechanism
Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending a GET request to /opennds_auth/ that does not contain the necessary query string parameter and client-token.
Mitigation and Prevention
To safeguard systems from CVE-2023-38321, certain mitigation and prevention strategies should be implemented.
Immediate Steps to Take
Immediate actions should include monitoring and filtering incoming requests to the vulnerable endpoints, ensuring the presence of all required parameters.
Long-Term Security Practices
In the long term, organizations should conduct regular security assessments and keep systems up to date with security patches.
Patching and Updates
It is crucial to apply the appropriate patches provided by Sierra Wireless and closely follow their security advisories for any updates.