CVE-2017-15345 in Huawei
Summary
by MITRE
Huawei Smartphones with software LON-L29DC721B186 have a denial of service vulnerability. An attacker could make an loop exit condition that cannot be reached by sending the crafted 3GPP message. Successful exploit could cause the device to reboot.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15345 affects Huawei smartphones running software version LON-L29DC721B186, representing a critical denial of service weakness that could be exploited to forcibly reboot affected devices. This vulnerability resides within the cellular communication processing stack of the smartphone's operating system, specifically in how it handles incoming 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) protocol messages. The flaw manifests when the device receives a specially crafted 3GPP message that contains malformed loop exit conditions, creating an infinite loop scenario that ultimately leads to system instability and forced device reboot.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a software bug in the mobile network protocol handler where the device's firmware fails to properly validate or sanitize incoming 3GPP messages before processing them. When such maliciously crafted messages are received, they contain loop control structures that are designed to be unreachable or impossible to satisfy under normal operating conditions. This causes the device's communication processor to enter an infinite loop state, consuming excessive CPU resources and eventually triggering a system watchdog timer that forces the device to reboot automatically. The vulnerability specifically targets the cellular radio access network processing components and falls under the category of improper input validation issues that are commonly classified as CWE-691.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to users of affected Huawei devices, as it allows remote attackers to disrupt device functionality without requiring physical access or authentication credentials. The exploit can be executed over the air through standard cellular network communications, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no specialized equipment or insider knowledge to carry out. The impact extends beyond simple inconvenience to potential security implications, as the device reboot could interrupt critical communication services or potentially provide an entry point for more sophisticated attacks. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where mobile devices are used for mission-critical communications and security operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate software updates from Huawei to address the specific firmware flaw in the LON-L29DC721B186 software version. Users should also implement network monitoring solutions to detect unusual patterns of 3GPP messages that might indicate attempted exploitation. Security teams should consider implementing cellular network filtering rules that can identify and block suspicious 3GPP message patterns. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001 which covers network denial of service attacks, and represents a classic example of how mobile network protocols can be exploited to create system instability. Organizations should also consider temporary network isolation of affected devices until proper patches are deployed, and maintain comprehensive incident response procedures that account for potential device reboots during critical operations.