CVE-2017-15346 in SXXXX
Summary
by MITRE
XML parser in Huawei S12700 V200R005C00,S1700 V200R009C00, V200R010C00,S3700 V100R006C03, V100R006C05,S5700 V200R001C00, V200R002C00, V200R003C00, V200R003C02, V200R005C00, V200R006C00, V200R007C00, V200R008C00, V200R009C00, V200R010C00,S6700 V200R001C00, V200R002C00, V200R003C00, V200R005C00, V200R005C02, V200R008C00, V200R009C00, V200R010C00,S7700 V200R001C00, V200R002C00, V200R003C00, V200R005C00, V200R006C00, V200R007C00, V200R008C00, V200R009C00, V200R010C00,S9700 V200R001C00, V200R002C00, V200R003C00, V200R005C00, V200R006C00, V200R007C00, V200R008C00, V200R009C00, V200R010C00,eCNS210_TD V100R004C10, V100R004C10SPC003, V100R004C10SPC100, V100R004C10SPC101, V100R004C10SPC102, V100R004C10SPC200, V100R004C10SPC221, V100R004C10SPC400 has a DOS vulnerability. An attacker may craft specific XML files to the affected products. Due to not check the specially XML file and to parse this file, successful exploit will result in DOS attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15346 represents a critical denial of service weakness within Huawei's network infrastructure products, specifically affecting multiple series including S12700, S1700, S3700, S5700, S6700, S7700, and S9700 switches along with eCNS210_TD wireless access points. This flaw resides in the XML parser component of these devices, which fails to properly validate incoming XML data before processing. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that allow maliciously crafted XML files to bypass normal parsing procedures. The affected versions span numerous software releases across different product lines, indicating a widespread issue that affects both legacy and newer hardware implementations within Huawei's portfolio.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts specially formatted XML files designed to trigger malformed parsing behavior within the affected devices. Without proper validation checks, the XML parser attempts to process these malicious inputs, leading to system instability and eventual service disruption. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" as a fundamental weakness in software design, where the system fails to properly manage resource allocation during processing of untrusted input data. This particular implementation flaw allows attackers to consume excessive system resources through carefully constructed XML payloads, ultimately resulting in complete service interruption of the targeted network equipment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can severely compromise network availability and reliability across enterprise and service provider environments. Network administrators managing these affected Huawei devices face significant risk of unauthorized denial of service attacks that could disrupt critical business operations, especially in environments where network uptime is paramount. The vulnerability affects multiple product series simultaneously, suggesting that attackers could potentially target various network segments within a single organization, amplifying the overall impact. Additionally, the broad range of affected software versions indicates that organizations may have been exposed to this risk for extended periods, as many deployments likely include older firmware releases that have not been updated.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-15346 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from Huawei to address the underlying XML parsing vulnerability. Network administrators must also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit potential attack vectors, ensuring that only trusted sources can submit XML data to affected devices. The implementation of XML validation policies and input sanitization measures can provide additional defense-in-depth layers against similar attacks. Organizations should consider monitoring network traffic for suspicious XML content patterns and establishing incident response procedures to quickly address potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of adhering to security best practices outlined in frameworks such as the MITRE ATT&CK matrix, particularly focusing on the T1499 technique related to network denial of service attacks, where attackers exploit weaknesses in network infrastructure components to disrupt services. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar parsing vulnerabilities across the entire network infrastructure.