Horizon Alert
Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters
Cisco IOS XR software, when configured with the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), contains a flaw in how it processes certain network information. This vulnerability could allow remote attackers to disrupt network operations. The potential impact is a denial of service, which can affect network availability and communication.
- Vulnerable Cisco IOS XR BGP
- Improper handling of unrecognized attributes
- Network disruption and service outages
Attack Path
How an attacker could exploit the issue
This vulnerability affects Cisco IOS XR systems that have Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) enabled. An attacker can send specially crafted BGP prefix announcements to a vulnerable system. This action triggers a flaw in how the system handles unrecognized transitive attributes, leading to a peering reset and a denial-of-service condition. The impact on organizations includes service disruption for network routing functions and potential loss of network connectivity.
- Exposure condition: BGP enabled on Cisco IOS XR.
- Attacker starting point: Remote network.
- Trigger and result: Crafted prefix announcement causes peering reset.
Live Threat
Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context
This vulnerability impacts organizations using Cisco IOS XR software with BGP enabled. Attackers can exploit this flaw to reset BGP peering sessions, disrupting network connectivity and services. The attack requires no special access and can be executed remotely, posing a significant risk to business operations.
- Likely attacker skill level: Low
- Required access or conditions: Remote, no special access needed
- Business risk or urgency: High impact, treat as urgent
Priority actions
Operational Fix
Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps
This vulnerability, affecting Cisco IOS XR when BGP is enabled, could allow remote attackers to disrupt network services by causing peering resets. The identified issue involves the handling of unrecognized transitive attributes in prefix announcements, potentially leading to a denial of service. Organizations should prioritize addressing this risk to maintain service availability.
- Identify Cisco IOS XR systems running BGP.
- Reduce exposure by limiting BGP peering.
- Apply vendor fixes and monitor systems.
