CVE-2017-16307 in Insteon
Summary
by MITRE • 01/12/2023
Multiple exploitable buffer overflow vulnerabilities exist in the PubNub message handler for the "cc" channel of Insteon Hub running firmware version 1012. Specially crafted commands sent through the PubNub service can cause a stack-based buffer overflow overwriting arbitrary data. An attacker should send an authenticated HTTP request to trigger this vulnerability. In cmd sn_exw, at 0x9d01b310, the value for the `cmd1` key is copied using `strcpy` to the buffer at `$sp+0x2d0`.This buffer is 100 bytes large, sending anything longer will cause a buffer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-16307 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow in the Insteon Hub's PubNub message handling system, specifically affecting the "cc" channel functionality within firmware version 1012. This flaw resides in the command execution processing logic where untrusted input from the PubNub service is directly copied into a fixed-size buffer without proper bounds checking, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers. The vulnerability manifests in the sn_exw function at memory address 0x9d01b310 where the cmd1 parameter value is transferred using the dangerous strcpy function to a buffer located at stack pointer plus 0x2d0 offset, which is only 100 bytes in size.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows a classic buffer overflow pattern where the strcpy function performs no length validation before copying data into the limited buffer space. When an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing more than 100 bytes of data for the cmd1 key parameter, the excess data overflows into adjacent stack memory locations, potentially corrupting return addresses, function pointers, or other critical program state information. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which is classified as a high-severity weakness in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog. The attack vector requires an authenticated HTTP request to the Insteon Hub's web interface, making it accessible to users who have already gained some level of system access or can perform credential theft operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as it provides potential for arbitrary code execution and complete system compromise. An attacker who successfully exploits this buffer overflow could overwrite the instruction pointer and redirect execution flow to malicious code, potentially gaining full control over the Insteon Hub device. This poses significant security implications for home automation systems, as the compromised hub could serve as a pivot point for accessing other networked devices within the same household or business environment. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, as the attacker would need to leverage the compromised device to move laterally within the network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate firmware updates from Insteon to address the buffer overflow condition in the PubNub message handler. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the Insteon Hub to untrusted networks, while monitoring for unusual PubNub traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The use of input validation and bounds checking mechanisms should be enforced throughout the application code to prevent similar issues in future implementations, with particular attention to avoiding dangerous functions like strcpy in favor of safer alternatives such as strlcpy or strncpy with proper length parameters. Security hardening measures including stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and non-executable stack protections should also be considered as additional defense-in-depth layers to reduce the exploitability of similar buffer overflow conditions.