Routers Open to Attack

Two major security issues affecting routers hit the Internet community within hours of each other last week, sending administrators and network operators scurrying to get updated software to protect their devices before an expected wave of attacks begins.

The more serious of the two problems is a critical vulnerability in Cisco Systems Inc.'s Cisco IOS Software, which runs the company's routers and switches. When trying to process certain types of SNMP requests, the software mishandles the messages and resets the device. As a result, an attacker could cause a DoS (denial-of-service) condition on any vulnerable device.

Plan of attack

Details of new Internet security flaws

• Cisco IOS SNMP flaw
• Can lead to router crashes, DoS
• Considered easy to exploit

TCP attack

• Can disrupt TCP sessions
• Affects all TCP devices
• Can be difficult to perform

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