CVE-2017-15075 in Puma
Summary
by MITRE
The Intel Puma 5, 6, and 7 chips, as used on various Technicolor (formerly branded as Cisco) devices, allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (performance degradation) by sending a moderate volume of small packets to many TCP or UDP ports. NOTE: Intel has advised that they are only a hardware manufacturer in this instance; they do NOT own the mitigation distribution channel for these chips. Any details about mitigations would need to come from Technicolor.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15075 represents a significant denial of service weakness affecting Intel Puma 5, 6, and 7 chipsets integrated into Technicolor networking equipment. This flaw manifests when remote attackers exploit the hardware architecture by transmitting moderate volumes of small packets to numerous TCP or UDP ports simultaneously. The attack vector leverages the chipsets' handling of network traffic, specifically targeting their packet processing capabilities to create performance degradation that effectively constitutes a denial of service condition. The vulnerability impacts a wide range of networking devices that utilize these Intel chipsets, particularly those manufactured by Technicolor under the Cisco brand, making it a widespread concern across enterprise and consumer networking infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the chipsets' inability to properly manage concurrent packet processing across multiple ports, creating a resource exhaustion scenario that degrades system performance. This flaw operates at the hardware level within the network processing capabilities of the Puma chipsets, where the packet handling mechanisms become overwhelmed by the volume and frequency of small packets targeting multiple ports simultaneously. The attack requires minimal resources from the attacker while generating substantial impact on the target device's network processing capabilities, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network availability is critical. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which addresses unchecked resource consumption, and represents a classic example of a resource exhaustion attack that affects network infrastructure components.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-15075 extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass potential business continuity issues for organizations relying on affected networking equipment. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause significant performance degradation that affects network availability and throughput, potentially leading to extended downtime for critical network services. The attack's effectiveness is amplified by its ability to target multiple ports simultaneously, allowing attackers to maximize the impact on system resources without requiring extensive computational resources or sophisticated attack techniques. Organizations using affected Technicolor devices may experience degraded network performance, increased latency, and potential service interruptions that can affect productivity and customer satisfaction. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning in mission-critical environments where network reliability is paramount.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must be coordinated through Technicolor as the device manufacturer since Intel, while the hardware vendor, does not control the distribution of specific mitigations for these chipsets. The primary approach involves implementing network-level controls such as rate limiting and packet filtering to reduce the volume of small packets that can affect the affected devices. Organizations should consider deploying network access control lists to restrict traffic patterns that could trigger the vulnerability, while also monitoring network traffic for unusual packet volume patterns. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of attack under network denial of service techniques, specifically targeting infrastructure components that handle packet processing. Device administrators should also implement regular firmware updates from Technicolor, as the manufacturer would need to provide specific patches or configuration changes to address the underlying hardware processing issues within the Puma chipsets.