CVE-2017-15662 in VX Search Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE
In Flexense VX Search Enterprise v10.1.12, the Control Protocol suffers from a denial of service vulnerability. The attack vector is a crafted SERVER_GET_INFO packet sent to control port 9123.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15662 affects Flexense VX Search Enterprise version 10.1.12 and represents a critical denial of service weakness within the application's control protocol implementation. This flaw exists in the communication mechanism that operates on port 9123, which serves as the primary interface for administrative control functions. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the SERVER_GET_INFO packet processing routine, creating a condition where malformed or specially crafted packets can cause the service to crash or become unresponsive.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves sending a deliberately malformed SERVER_GET_INFO packet to the designated control port, which triggers a failure in the application's packet parsing logic. This failure typically manifests as an unhandled exception or buffer overflow condition that results in the termination of the control service. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and CWE-122, stack-based buffer overflow, indicating that the application does not properly validate packet lengths or contents before processing them. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it requires no authentication or privileged access, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where the control port may be exposed to untrusted networks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations utilizing VX Search Enterprise, as it can be exploited by remote attackers to disrupt critical search and indexing services. The denial of service condition affects the availability of the control interface, preventing legitimate administrators from managing the application configuration, monitoring search performance, or accessing control functions. This disruption can cascade into broader service degradation, as the control protocol often coordinates with other application components, potentially affecting search indexing, database operations, and user access to the enterprise search functionality. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, "Eclipse Stealer," and more broadly with service disruption attack patterns that target administrative interfaces.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the affected VX Search Enterprise version to the latest available release that addresses the control protocol handling. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to port 9123 to trusted administrative networks only, limiting exposure to potential attackers. Additionally, implementing intrusion detection systems that monitor for unusual packet patterns on the control port can provide early warning of exploitation attempts. Organizations should also establish monitoring procedures to detect service disruptions and implement redundant control mechanisms where possible. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and defensive programming practices, particularly for network services that handle external communications, and aligns with security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-44 and ISO/IEC 27001 standards for secure application development and network security management.