Cisco Security Advisory
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CVSS:3.0/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:L/E:X/RL:X/RC:X
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A vulnerability in the Cisco IOS Software forwarding queue of Cisco 2960X and 3750X switches could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause a memory leak in the software forwarding queue that would eventually lead to a partial denial of service (DoS) condition.
The vulnerability is due to improper processing of IPv6 Neighbor Discovery (ND) packets. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a number of IPv6 ND packets to be processed by an affected device. An exploit could allow the attacker to cause a memory leak in the software forwarding queue that would eventually lead to a partial DoS service condition.
Workarounds that address this vulnerability are available.
This advisory is available at the following link: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20170118-catalyst
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When processing certain IPv6 ND packets, Cisco switches may end up not freeing the allocated memory and experiencing memory leak in the software forwarding queue. This condition may consume a large amount of CPU resources and cause a denial of service for any feature requiring software forwarding on the switch.
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A configuration that forces software forwarding must be disabled to restore service on an affected device. However, the switch must be reloaded to recover the memory.
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For information about fixed software releases, consult the Cisco bug ID(s) at the top of this advisory.
When considering software upgrades, customers are advised to consult the advisories for Cisco products, which are available from the Cisco Security Advisories and Alerts page, to determine exposure and a complete upgrade solution.
In all cases, customers should ensure that the devices to be upgraded contain sufficient memory and confirm that current hardware and software configurations will continue to be supported properly by the new release. If the information is not clear, customers are advised to contact the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) or their contracted maintenance providers.
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The Cisco Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) is not aware of any public announcements or malicious use of the vulnerability that is described in this advisory.
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To learn about Cisco security vulnerability disclosure policies and publications, see the Security Vulnerability Policy. This document also contains instructions for obtaining fixed software and receiving security vulnerability information from Cisco.
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Show LessVersion Description Section Status Date 1.1 Cisco has updated this advisory to modify information that addresses the Cisco IOS for Catalyst 2960X and 3750X Switches denial of service vulnerability. Details and Workarounds Final 2017-March-03 1.0 Initial public release. — Final 2017-January-18
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