CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2023-20125NVD status: Deferred

Cisco BroadWorks: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2023-20125 is a high-severity uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability in Cisco BroadWorks from Cisco, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.6 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected Cisco BroadWorks versions: 22.0; 23.0; RI.2021.02, and others listed below. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.95% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 62% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of Cisco BroadWorks you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
CiscoCisco BroadWorks22.0; 23.0; RI.2021.02; 23.0 ap380391; 23.0 ap380396; RI.2021.08; RI.2021.09; RI.2021.10; and 32 more rangesNot stated
Ciscobroadworks_network_server22.0; 23.0; ri.2021.02; 23.0_ap380391; 23.0_ap380396; ri.2021.08; ri.2021.09; ri.2021.10; and 32 more rangesNot stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
Confidentiality
NoneNo data is disclosed.
Integrity
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by CNA (cisco.com).

Official description

A vulnerability in the local interface of Cisco BroadWorks Network Server could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to exhaust system resources, causing a denial of service (DoS) condition. This vulnerability exists because rate limiting does not occur for certain incoming TCP connections. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a high rate of TCP connections to the server. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause TCP connection resources to grow rapidly until the Cisco BroadWorks Network Server becomes unusable. Note: To recover from this vulnerability, either Cisco BroadWorks Network Server software must be restarted or the Cisco BroadWorks Network Server node must be rebooted. For more information, see the section of this advisory. Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability. There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption

The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Ensure that protocols have specific limits of scale placed on them.
  • Ensure that all failures in resource allocation place the system into a safe posture.

More Uncontrolled Resource Consumption vulnerabilities (CWE-400)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in Cisco BroadWorks

All Cisco BroadWorks vulnerabilities

Recent Uncontrolled Resource Consumption vulnerabilities

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