CVE-2017-12786 in NoviWare
Summary
by MITRE
Network interfaces of the cliengine and noviengine services, included in the NoviWare software distribution through NW400.2.6 and deployed on NoviSwitch devices, can be inadvertently exposed if an operator attempts to modify ACLs, because of a bug when ACL modifications are applied. This could be leveraged by remote, unauthenticated attackers to gain resultant privileged (root) code execution on the switch, because there is a stack-based buffer overflow during unserialization of packet data.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12786 represents a critical security flaw within the NoviWare software distribution targeting NoviSwitch devices. This issue stems from improper handling of access control list modifications within the cliengine and noviengine services, creating a pathway for unauthorized remote code execution. The vulnerability specifically affects versions NW400.2.6 and earlier, making it a persistent threat across multiple device deployments. The flaw manifests when operators attempt to modify access control lists, triggering an unintended exposure of network interfaces that were not meant to be accessible from external networks.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in a stack-based buffer overflow that occurs during the unserialization process of packet data within the affected services. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient bounds checking allows an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations on the stack. The buffer overflow specifically occurs when the system processes serialized network packet data that has been crafted by an attacker. This unserialization process lacks proper input validation and boundary checks, allowing malicious data to exceed the allocated buffer space and overwrite critical memory segments including return addresses and function pointers.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-12786 is severe and potentially catastrophic for network infrastructure security. Remote, unauthenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability to achieve privileged code execution with root-level access on affected NoviSwitch devices. This privilege escalation capability transforms a simple network interface exposure into a complete system compromise, enabling attackers to gain full administrative control over the network switching infrastructure. The vulnerability's exploitation does not require any authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by anyone with network access to the affected devices. Once compromised, attackers can manipulate network traffic, establish persistent backdoors, or use the device as a pivot point for further attacks within the network infrastructure.
The attack surface for this vulnerability is significantly expanded by the nature of the cliengine and noviengine services, which are designed to manage network access controls and switching operations. These services typically operate on well-known network ports and are accessible from external networks, making them prime targets for exploitation. The vulnerability's exploitation follows the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, where attackers can execute arbitrary code through the vulnerable unserialization process. Additionally, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, as the buffer overflow enables attackers to gain root access to the system. The exploitation chain typically involves sending specially crafted packet data to the affected services, triggering the buffer overflow and allowing attackers to inject and execute malicious code with system-level privileges.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate affected devices from untrusted networks, disabling unnecessary services and ports, and applying vendor-provided patches or firmware updates. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw necessitates comprehensive network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all NoviSwitch deployments to identify and remediate affected systems. The implementation of network access control lists that restrict communication to only necessary services and the enforcement of principle of least privilege for service accounts can significantly reduce the attack surface. Additionally, regular security audits and network traffic analysis should be employed to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple network access to complete system compromise and potential lateral movement within the network infrastructure.