CVE-2017-16719 in NPort 5110
Summary
by MITRE
An Injection issue was discovered in Moxa NPort 5110 Version 2.2, NPort 5110 Version 2.4, NPort 5110 Version 2.6, NPort 5110 Version 2.7, NPort 5130 Version 3.7 and prior, and NPort 5150 Version 3.7 and prior. An attacker may be able to inject packets that could potentially disrupt the availability of the device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-16719 represents a critical injection flaw affecting multiple Moxa NPort series industrial network devices including the NPort 5110, 5130, and 5150 models across various firmware versions. This security weakness falls under the category of injection attacks as defined by CWE-77, which occurs when untrusted data is sent to an interpreter as part of a command or query. The affected devices operate within industrial control systems and network infrastructure environments where reliability and availability are paramount for operational continuity.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper validation and sanitization of network packets received by these industrial network devices. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious packets that exploit the device's packet processing mechanisms to inject commands or data that disrupt normal device operations. The vulnerability specifically targets the device's network communication protocols and packet handling routines, allowing unauthorized actors to potentially cause denial of service conditions that compromise the availability of critical network infrastructure. This weakness enables attackers to manipulate the device's operational state through carefully constructed network traffic without requiring authentication or specialized privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple disruption to potentially compromise entire industrial network segments that rely on these devices for connectivity and communication. When exploited, the injection attack can cause the affected devices to become unresponsive, restart unexpectedly, or fail to properly forward network traffic, leading to cascading failures in industrial control systems. The vulnerability affects devices that typically operate in 24/7 environments where availability is critical, making this a significant concern for industrial organizations that depend on these network infrastructure components for maintaining operational continuity. The attack vector leverages standard network protocols and does not require specialized tools or extensive knowledge of the target systems, making it particularly dangerous for industrial environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-16719 should focus on implementing network segmentation and access control measures to limit exposure of affected devices to untrusted network traffic. Organizations should deploy network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous packet patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, while also applying firmware updates from Moxa to address the underlying injection vulnerability. The implementation of network access control lists and firewall rules can help restrict communication to only trusted sources, reducing the attack surface for these devices. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on suspicious network activity targeting industrial network devices, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's methodology for industrial control system threats. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify other potential weaknesses in industrial network infrastructure that could be exploited in conjunction with this vulnerability.