📄 Description (English)
Cisco IOS XR Software DVMRP Memory Exhaustion Vulnerability — Cisco IOS XR Distance Vector Multicast Routing Protocol (DVMRP) incorrectly handles Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) packets. Exploitation could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to immediately crash the IGMP process or make it consume available memory and eventually crash.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
A critical memory exhaustion vulnerability in Cisco IOS XR DVMRP allows unauthenticated remote attackers to crash the IGMP process or exhaust system memory through malformed IGMP packets. With a CVSS score of 9.0 and publicly available exploits, this poses immediate denial-of-service risk to network infrastructure. Affected organizations must prioritize patching immediately as exploitation requires no authentication and can be triggered remotely.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 19, 2026 09:38
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi telecommunications operators (STC, Mobily, Zain) and government networks relying on Cisco IOS XR for core routing infrastructure face critical service disruption risk. Banking sector (SAMA-regulated institutions) dependent on these routers for payment network connectivity could experience transaction processing failures. Energy sector (ARAMCO, power utilities) using IOS XR in SCADA/industrial networks risks operational technology disruption. Government agencies (NCA, Ministry of Interior) managing critical national infrastructure are particularly vulnerable. The vulnerability enables widespread denial-of-service attacks affecting multiple sectors simultaneously.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Telecommunications
Banking and Financial Services
Government and Public Administration
Energy and Utilities
Healthcare
Critical Infrastructure
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
9.2
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Identify all Cisco IOS XR devices in your network using inventory management tools
2. Disable DVMRP and IGMP on non-essential interfaces immediately as temporary mitigation
3. Implement access control lists (ACLs) to restrict IGMP traffic to trusted sources only
4. Monitor IGMP process CPU and memory utilization for anomalies
PATCHING GUIDANCE:
1. Apply Cisco security patches for IOS XR versions 6.x and 7.x immediately
2. Verify patch installation: show version | include IOS XR
3. Test patches in lab environment before production deployment
4. Schedule maintenance windows for critical infrastructure updates
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (if patching delayed):
1. Deploy rate-limiting on IGMP packets at network edge
2. Configure IGMP snooping on switches to filter malformed packets
3. Implement NetFlow/sFlow monitoring for IGMP anomalies
4. Enable IGMP query interval monitoring and alerting
DETECTION RULES:
1. Alert on IGMP packet rate exceeding 1000 pps from single source
2. Monitor for IGMP packets with invalid group addresses (224.0.0.0/4)
3. Track IGMP process restarts and memory growth patterns
4. Log all IGMP state changes and process crashes
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تحديد جميع أجهزة Cisco IOS XR في شبكتك باستخدام أدوات إدارة المخزون
2. تعطيل DVMRP و IGMP على الواجهات غير الأساسية فوراً كتخفيف مؤقت
3. تطبيق قوائم التحكم في الوصول (ACLs) لتقييد حركة IGMP للمصادر الموثوقة فقط
4. مراقبة استخدام CPU والذاكرة لعملية IGMP للكشف عن الشذوذ
إرشادات التصحيح:
1. تطبيق تصحيحات أمان Cisco لإصدارات IOS XR 6.x و 7.x فوراً
2. التحقق من تثبيت التصحيح: show version | include IOS XR
3. اختبار التصحيحات في بيئة المختبر قبل نشرها في الإنتاج
4. جدولة نوافذ الصيانة لتحديثات البنية التحتية الحرجة
الضوابط البديلة (إذا تأخر التصحيح):
1. نشر تحديد معدل حزم IGMP على حافة الشبكة
2. تكوين IGMP snooping على المحاولات لتصفية الحزم المعيبة
3. تطبيق مراقبة NetFlow/sFlow لشذوذ IGMP
4. تفعيل مراقبة فترة استعلام IGMP والتنبيهات
قواعد الكشف:
1. تنبيه عند تجاوز معدل حزم IGMP 1000 pps من مصدر واحد
2. مراقبة حزم IGMP ذات عناوين مجموعات غير صحيحة (224.0.0.0/4)
3. تتبع إعادة تشغيل عملية IGMP وأنماط نمو الذاكرة
4. تسجيل جميع تغييرات حالة IGMP وأعطال العملية
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
ECC 2024 A.12.2.1 - Change management procedures
ECC 2024 A.8.1.3 - Segregation of duties
ECC 2024 A.12.4.1 - Event logging and monitoring
🔵 SAMA CSF
ID.RA-1 - Asset management and vulnerability identification
PR.IP-12 - System and information integrity
DE.CM-1 - Detection and analysis of anomalies
RS.RP-1 - Response planning and procedures
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.12.2.1 - Change management
A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
A.14.2.1 - Secure development policy
A.16.1.5 - Response to information security incidents
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0
Requirement 6.2 - Security patches and updates
Requirement 11.2 - Vulnerability scanning
Requirement 12.2 - Configuration standards
🔗 References & Sources 0
No references.
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
Cisco:IOS XR