CVE-2016-8780 in CloudEngine 6800
Summary
by MITRE
Huawei CloudEngine 6800 V100R006C00, CloudEngine 7800 V100R006C00, CloudEngine 8800 V100R006C00, and CloudEngine 12800 V100R006C00 allow remote attackers with specific permission to store massive files to exhaust the shared storage space, leading to a DoS condition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8780 affects Huawei CloudEngine series switches including the 6800, 7800, 8800, and 12800 models running specific software versions. This weakness represents a denial of service vulnerability that stems from inadequate file storage management within the device's shared storage system. The flaw allows authenticated attackers with specific permissions to exploit the system by uploading excessively large files, ultimately consuming all available storage space and rendering the device non-functional. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it requires only specific permission levels to exploit, making it accessible to users with legitimate access rights who may misuse their privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of file storage operations within the Huawei networking equipment's file system management. When authorized users upload files to the shared storage space, the system fails to adequately validate or limit the size of these files, allowing malicious actors to continuously upload massive files until the storage capacity is exhausted. This behavior creates a resource exhaustion condition that prevents legitimate operations from functioning properly. The vulnerability manifests through the storage subsystem's lack of proper quota enforcement and file size restrictions, enabling attackers to leverage their authenticated access to cause system-wide disruption. The underlying mechanism operates at the storage management layer where file upload operations should be subject to size limitations and resource allocation controls to prevent such abuse.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass potential business continuity issues for organizations relying on these network devices. When storage space becomes exhausted, the affected switches may become completely non-responsive, requiring manual intervention to restore functionality through storage cleanup or device reboot. Network administrators face the challenge of identifying the root cause of such failures, as the symptoms appear as general device unresponsiveness rather than specific storage-related issues. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to cause cascading failures in network infrastructure, particularly in environments where these switches serve as critical network components in data center or enterprise network architectures. Organizations may experience significant downtime and require emergency response procedures to address the DoS condition, potentially affecting multiple network services and user access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-8780 should focus on implementing comprehensive storage management controls and access restrictions. Network administrators should establish strict file size limits for uploads to shared storage areas and implement monitoring systems to detect unusual storage consumption patterns. The recommended approach includes configuring storage quotas and implementing automated alerts when storage usage approaches critical thresholds. Additionally, organizations should review and restrict user permissions to minimize the risk of privilege abuse, ensuring that only essential personnel have access to storage management functions. System updates and patches from Huawei should be deployed immediately to address the vulnerability at the source. The implementation of network segmentation and access control policies can further reduce the attack surface by limiting the scope of potential exploitation. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-400 which describes "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" and relates to ATT&CK technique T1499 which covers "Network Denial of Service" and T1566 which addresses "Phishing with Social Engineering" as attackers may exploit legitimate access rights to cause such disruptions.