CVE-2017-15077 in Puma
Summary
by MITRE
The Intel Puma 5, 6, and 7 chips, as used on UPC branded Compal CH7465-LG 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, a related issue to CVE-2017-15067. 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 UPC.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15077 represents a significant denial of service weakness affecting Intel Puma 5, 6, and 7 chips deployed in UPC branded Compal CH7465-LG devices. This issue manifests when remote attackers exploit the hardware's processing capabilities by transmitting a moderate volume of small packets to numerous TCP or UDP ports simultaneously. The attack vector demonstrates the classic characteristics of a resource exhaustion attack that targets the network processing capabilities of embedded systems, specifically those utilizing Intel's Puma series chipsets in consumer-grade networking equipment.
The technical flaw resides in the chip's handling of packet processing and port management within the network stack implementation. When subjected to the targeted packet flood, the Puma series chips experience performance degradation that can escalate to complete service disruption. This vulnerability operates at the network protocol level, specifically targeting the TCP and UDP port handling mechanisms that form the foundation of network communication. The issue is categorized under CWE-400 as a resource exhaustion vulnerability, where the system's processing capacity becomes overwhelmed by the volume of incoming packets. The attack requires minimal resources from the attacker while generating substantial impact on the target device's operational capabilities, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network availability is critical.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption to encompass broader network reliability concerns. Devices utilizing these chips become susceptible to sustained performance degradation that can affect internet connectivity, network services, and overall user experience. The vulnerability affects consumer-grade networking equipment that typically lacks robust security measures or automatic update mechanisms, making affected devices particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Network administrators and system operators must consider the implications of this vulnerability when designing security architectures, as the attack can be executed remotely without requiring physical access to the device or specialized attacker credentials. The issue also demonstrates how hardware vendors can inadvertently create security weaknesses that affect downstream customers through their supply chain relationships.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-15077 must be approached through multiple channels since Intel, as a hardware manufacturer, does not control the distribution of specific mitigations for these chips. The primary approach involves network-level filtering and rate limiting to prevent the targeted packet flooding from overwhelming the device's processing capabilities. Organizations should implement ingress filtering to drop suspicious packet patterns and establish port-based access controls that limit the number of concurrent connections or packet processing. The vulnerability's relationship to CVE-2017-15067 indicates a broader class of issues affecting similar hardware implementations, suggesting that comprehensive network security policies should address both vulnerabilities. System administrators should also consider firmware updates from UPC or Compal as these may contain vendor-specific patches. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with T1499.004 for network denial of service and demonstrates the importance of defending against low-volume, high-impact attacks that exploit hardware-level weaknesses rather than software vulnerabilities.