CVE-2017-12275 in Wireless LAN Controller
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the implementation of 802.11v Basic Service Set (BSS) Transition Management functionality in Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause an affected device to reload unexpectedly, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of 802.11v BSS Transition Management Response packets that an affected device receives from wireless clients. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a malformed 802.11v BSS Transition Management Response packet to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the affected device to reload unexpectedly, resulting in a DoS condition. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvb57803.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12275 resides within Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers' implementation of 802.11v Basic Service Set transition management protocols, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the stability of wireless infrastructure. This weakness specifically targets the BSS Transition Management functionality that enables seamless roaming between access points in wireless networks. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly scrutinize incoming 802.11v BSS Transition Management Response packets from wireless clients, creating an exploitable entry point for malicious actors within the wireless network perimeter.
The technical flaw manifests as a failure in the wireless controller's packet processing logic where it does not adequately validate the structure and content of BSS Transition Management Response frames. This insufficient validation creates a condition where malformed packets can trigger unexpected behavior in the controller's memory management and processing routines. The vulnerability is classified as a buffer over-read or memory corruption issue within the wireless controller's wireless protocol stack, where the device attempts to process malformed data without proper bounds checking or input sanitization. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129 Input Validation and Output Encoding, specifically manifesting as a weakness in input validation that allows malformed data to cause system instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the entire wireless infrastructure reliability. An unauthenticated attacker positioned within the wireless network's adjacent coverage area can exploit this weakness by crafting and transmitting specifically malformed 802.11v BSS Transition Management Response packets to the affected controller. Upon receiving such packets, the wireless controller experiences unexpected behavior that culminates in an abrupt system reload or crash, resulting in complete denial of service for all wireless clients connected to that controller. This DoS condition affects not only the immediate wireless connectivity but also impacts network availability and business continuity, particularly in enterprise environments where wireless networks support critical operations.
The attack vector for this vulnerability is classified as adjacent network access, meaning that an attacker must be within the wireless coverage area of the affected controller to exploit the weakness. This proximity requirement reduces the attack surface but does not eliminate the threat, as many wireless environments lack proper physical security controls. The exploit requires minimal privileges and can be automated, making it particularly dangerous for environments with insufficient network segmentation or monitoring controls. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1499.002 (Network Denial of Service) and T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) where the attacker leverages the controller's legitimate wireless processing capabilities to execute the malicious payload. The vulnerability affects Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers running specific software versions that implement the 802.11v BSS Transition Management functionality, with Cisco Bug ID CSCvb57803 documenting the specific implementation flaw. Mitigation strategies include applying the relevant Cisco security patches, implementing network segmentation to limit wireless access points, and deploying monitoring solutions to detect anomalous wireless traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.