CVE-2016-8802 in Secospace USG6300
Summary
by MITRE
The security policy processing module in Huawei Secospace USG6300 with software V500R001C20SPC100, V500R001C20SPC101, V500R001C20SPC200; Secospace USG6500 with software V500R001C20SPC100, V500R001C20SPC101, V500R001C20SPC200; Secospace USG6600 with software V500R001C20SPC100, V500R001C20SPC101, V500R001C20SPC200 allows authenticated attackers to setup a specific security policy into the devices, causing a buffer overflow and crashing the system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8802 affects Huawei Secospace USG6300, USG6500, and USG6600 firewall devices running specific software versions. This security flaw resides within the device's security policy processing module, which is responsible for handling and enforcing network security rules. The affected systems operate with software versions V500R001C20SPC100, V500R001C20SPC101, and V500R001C20SPC200 across all three firewall models. The vulnerability represents a critical weakness in the device's input validation mechanisms, specifically when processing security policy configurations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a buffer overflow condition that occurs during the processing of specially crafted security policies. An authenticated attacker who possesses valid credentials can exploit this flaw by creating and applying a specific security policy that triggers the buffer overflow. The buffer overflow results in the device's memory management system becoming corrupted, leading to system instability and ultimately causing the firewall to crash. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. The buffer overflow occurs when the device fails to properly validate the length of policy data being processed, allowing an attacker to exceed the allocated buffer space.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted for organizations relying on these firewall devices. The system crash resulting from the buffer overflow creates a denial of service condition that can disrupt network connectivity and security enforcement capabilities. Organizations may experience extended downtime while the affected devices require manual rebooting and system recovery procedures. The vulnerability particularly affects network security infrastructure since firewalls serve as critical gateways for network traffic control and security policy enforcement. When these devices crash, network administrators lose control over traffic filtering, access control, and security monitoring functions, potentially exposing the network to unauthorized access and other security threats. The authenticated nature of the attack means that only users with legitimate access credentials can exploit this vulnerability, but this still represents a significant risk as it allows internal attackers or compromised accounts to cause service disruption.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate software updates from Huawei to address the buffer overflow condition in the security policy processing module. Organizations should implement strict access controls and monitor authentication attempts to minimize the risk of unauthorized exploitation. Network segmentation and redundant security controls can help maintain network availability even if one device becomes compromised. Security monitoring solutions should be configured to detect system crash events and alert administrators to potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation in security-critical systems and highlights the need for regular security assessments of network infrastructure devices. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control measures that limit the ability of authenticated users to modify security policy configurations, thereby reducing the attack surface for this specific vulnerability. Regular security patches and firmware updates should be part of the organization's security maintenance procedures to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.