CVE-2017-0247 in ASP.NET Core
Summary
by MITRE
A denial of service vulnerability exists when the ASP.NET Core fails to properly validate web requests.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0247 represents a critical denial of service weakness within the ASP.NET Core framework that stems from inadequate validation of web requests. This flaw specifically affects applications built using the .NET Core platform and exposes systems to potential disruption through malformed input processing. The vulnerability manifests when the framework fails to properly sanitize or validate incoming HTTP requests, creating opportunities for attackers to craft malicious payloads that can overwhelm system resources or trigger unexpected application behavior.
From a technical perspective, the vulnerability operates by exploiting insufficient input validation mechanisms within the ASP.NET Core request processing pipeline. When malformed requests are received, the framework's validation logic does not adequately handle edge cases or unexpected input patterns, leading to potential resource exhaustion or application instability. This weakness can be categorized under CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 related to network denial of service attacks. The flaw particularly affects the request parsing and validation components of the web server stack, where unvalidated inputs can cause the application to enter infinite loops, consume excessive memory, or trigger unhandled exceptions that result in service interruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0247 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the availability and reliability of web applications. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted requests that cause the application to consume excessive computational resources or enter unstable states, effectively rendering the service unavailable to legitimate users. This type of denial of service attack can be particularly damaging in production environments where application uptime is critical for business operations. The vulnerability affects both the application server and underlying infrastructure components, as the resource exhaustion can cascade through the entire system architecture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0247 should focus on implementing robust input validation mechanisms and applying the latest security patches from Microsoft. Organizations should ensure their ASP.NET Core applications are updated to versions that address this vulnerability, typically through the Microsoft Security Response Center updates. Additionally, implementing request rate limiting, input sanitization, and monitoring systems can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of defense. The implementation of proper error handling and resource management practices within applications can also reduce the attack surface and minimize the impact of potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing automated monitoring solutions that can detect unusual resource consumption patterns or abnormal request processing behavior that may indicate exploitation of this vulnerability.