CVE-2016-8277 in USG9520
Summary
by MITRE
Huawei USG9520, USG9560, and USG9580 unified security gateways with software before V300R001C01SPCa00 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (device restart) via an unspecified command parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8277 affects Huawei unified security gateways including the USG9520, USG9560, and USG9580 models running firmware versions prior to V300R001C01SPCa00. This represents a significant security weakness that enables remote authenticated attackers to trigger a denial of service condition resulting in device restarts. The flaw exists within the command processing mechanisms of these network security appliances, which are commonly deployed in enterprise and organizational environments to protect network perimeters and control traffic flow.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and command parameter handling within the affected Huawei devices. When authenticated users send specially crafted commands with unspecified parameter values, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize these inputs before processing them. This lack of proper input validation creates an exploitable condition where malicious or authorized users can manipulate the device's command execution flow. The vulnerability manifests as a device restart or reboot, effectively disrupting network services and potentially creating security gaps during the downtime period. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129 Input Validation and the broader category of CWE-20 Improper Input Validation, where insufficient validation of input parameters leads to unexpected behavior in system operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-8277 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise network security posture and availability. Organizations relying on these security gateways for network protection may experience unplanned outages that could affect business continuity, especially in mission-critical environments where network availability is paramount. The vulnerability's remote and authenticated nature means that an attacker with valid credentials could exploit this weakness to repeatedly cause device restarts, creating a persistent availability issue. This type of attack pattern aligns with the ATT&CK framework's T1499 technique for Network Denial of Service, where adversaries target network infrastructure to disrupt services. The affected devices are particularly concerning because they serve as primary security controls for network traffic, making their availability crucial for maintaining overall security posture.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates to the affected Huawei devices to the patched versions V300R001C01SPCa00 or later. Organizations should conduct comprehensive inventory assessments to identify all affected devices within their network infrastructure and prioritize patching efforts based on risk assessment. Network administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual restart patterns or command execution anomalies that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current firmware versions and implementing proper access controls to limit the number of authenticated users who can execute administrative commands. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and access control measures to reduce the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. Additionally, regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other network security appliances within the organization's infrastructure, as this vulnerability demonstrates how insufficient input validation can create persistent security risks in network security devices.