CVE-2017-11309 in IP Office
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the SoftConsole client in Avaya IP Office before 10.1.1 allows remote servers to execute arbitrary code via a long response.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/05/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11309 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the SoftConsole client component of Avaya IP Office systems. This issue affects versions prior to 10.1.1 and stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly handle excessively long response data. The vulnerability occurs during the processing of network communications where the client application does not adequately bounds-check incoming data before copying it into fixed-size memory buffers. This fundamental flaw creates an exploitable condition that remote attackers can leverage to gain unauthorized code execution privileges.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient boundary checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The SoftConsole client operates as a network communication interface that processes responses from remote servers, making it susceptible to malformed data injection attacks. When a malicious server sends a response containing excessive data beyond the allocated buffer capacity, the overflow can overwrite critical memory segments including return addresses, function pointers, or other control data structures. This memory corruption directly enables attackers to redirect program execution flow and inject arbitrary code into the running client process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution to encompass potential system compromise and data breach scenarios. Attackers exploiting this flaw can gain persistent access to the affected system, potentially escalating privileges to system level access depending on the execution context. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access or local network presence to initiate attacks, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments. Organizations using vulnerable Avaya IP Office systems face risks including unauthorized data access, system takeover, and potential lateral movement within network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects communication integrity and can disrupt business continuity operations through unauthorized access to critical telephony services.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-11309 should prioritize immediate patch deployment to upgrade Avaya IP Office systems to version 10.1.1 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of vulnerable SoftConsole client components to untrusted networks. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual network traffic patterns or unexpected client behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed responses targeting buffer overflow conditions. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1055 for process injection techniques, highlighting the need for process monitoring and endpoint protection measures. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar buffer overflow conditions in other network components and ensure comprehensive protection against similar attack vectors.