CVE-2017-17136 in DP300
Summary
by MITRE
PEM module of Huawei DP300 V500R002C00; IPS Module V500R001C00; V500R001C30; NGFW Module V500R001C00; V500R002C00; NIP6300 V500R001C00; V500R001C30; NIP6600 V500R001C00; V500R001C30; RP200 V500R002C00; V600R006C00; S12700 V200R007C00; V200R007C01; V200R008C00; V200R009C00; V200R010C00; S1700 V200R006C10; V200R009C00; V200R010C00; S2700 V200R006C10; V200R007C00; V200R008C00; V200R009C00; V200R010C00; S5700 V200R006C00; V200R007C00; V200R008C00; V200R009C00; V200R010C00; S6700 V200R008C00; V200R009C00; V200R010C00; S7700 V200R007C00; V200R008C00; V200R009C00; V200R010C00; S9700 V200R007C00; V200R007C01; V200R008C00; V200R009C00; V200R010C00; Secospace USG6300 V500R001C00; V500R001C30; Secospace USG6500 V500R001C00; V500R001C30; Secospace USG6600 V500R001C00; V500R001C30S; TE30 V100R001C02; V100R001C10; V500R002C00; V600R006C00; TE40 V500R002C00; V600R006C00; TE50 V500R002C00; V600R006C00; TE60 V100R001C01; V100R001C10; V500R002C00; V600R006C00; TP3106 V100R002C00; TP3206 V100R002C00; V100R002C10; USG9500 V500R001C00; V500R001C30; ViewPoint 9030 V100R011C02; V100R011C03 has a heap overflow vulnerability due to insufficient verification. An authenticated local attacker can make processing crash by a malicious certificate. The attacker can exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/16/2023
The vulnerability described in CVE-2017-17136 represents a critical heap overflow condition within the PEM module of various Huawei network security appliances and communication devices. This flaw affects multiple product lines including DP300 series, IPS modules, NGFW modules, NIP6300 and NIP6600 devices, RP200 series, S12700, S1700, S2700, S5700, S6700, S7700, S9700 series switches, Secospace USG firewalls, TE and TP series video conferencing equipment, and USG9500 devices. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the PEM certificate processing functionality, where the system fails to properly verify certificate data before processing. This insufficient verification creates a condition where maliciously crafted certificate data can trigger memory corruption during heap allocation operations. The vulnerability is classified as a heap-based buffer overflow under CWE-122, which is a common class of memory safety issues that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for network security infrastructure, as it allows authenticated local attackers to exploit the heap overflow condition and cause system crashes or denial of service conditions. The attack requires local authentication access to the affected devices, which means that an attacker must already have legitimate credentials to perform the exploitation. However, the severity increases when considering that these devices typically operate in critical network infrastructure environments where service availability is paramount. The vulnerability affects a broad range of Huawei products spanning multiple generations and product categories, indicating a systemic issue within the certificate processing implementation. This widespread impact suggests that the flaw exists in a core component shared across numerous device types, making the vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations maintaining large deployments of Huawei networking equipment.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which involves network disruption through service availability attacks. The heap overflow condition can be exploited to create persistent denial of service scenarios that may require manual intervention to restore system functionality. The vulnerability's presence in security appliances like firewalls and intrusion prevention systems means that exploitation could potentially disrupt network security monitoring and protection capabilities, leaving networks more vulnerable to other attacks during the disruption period. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where these devices form critical components of network infrastructure. The exploitation process involves crafting malicious certificate data that triggers the heap overflow during certificate parsing, making this attack vector particularly insidious as it can occur during normal certificate processing operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate firmware updates from Huawei to address the heap overflow condition in the PEM module. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit local authentication access to these devices, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation. Monitoring for unusual certificate processing activities and system crash patterns can help detect exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification as a heap overflow makes it particularly susceptible to exploitation techniques involving memory corruption, so defensive measures should include implementing memory protection mechanisms where available. Regular security assessments of network infrastructure components should include verification of firmware versions to ensure all affected devices have received the necessary security patches. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing certificate validation policies that limit the types of certificates processed by these devices to reduce exposure to malformed certificate attacks.