CVE-2017-17156 in NGFW Module
Summary
by MITRE
IKEv2 in Huawei IPS Module V500R001C00, V500R001C00SPC200, V500R001C00SPC300, V500R001C00SPC500, V500R001C00SPH303, V500R001C00SPH508, V500R001C20, V500R001C20SPC100, V500R001C20SPC100PWE, V500R001C20SPC200, V500R001C20SPC200B062, V500R001C20SPC200PWE, V500R001C20SPC300B078, V500R001C20SPC300PWE, NGFW Module V500R001C00, V500R001C00SPC200, V500R001C00SPC300, V500R001C00SPC500, V500R001C00SPC500PWE, V500R001C00SPH303, V500R001C00SPH508, V500R001C20, V500R001C20SPC100, V500R001C20SPC100PWE, V500R001C20SPC200, V500R001C20SPC200B062, V500R001C20SPC200PWE, V500R001C20SPC300B078, V500R001C20SPC300PWE, NIP6300 V500R001C00, V500R001C00SPC200, V500R001C00SPC300, V500R001C00SPC500, V500R001C00SPH303, V500R001C00SPH508, V500R001C20, V500R001C20SPC100, V500R001C20SPC100PWE, V500R001C20SPC200, V500R001C20SPC200B062, V500R001C20SPC200PWE, V500R001C20SPC300B078, V500R001C20SPC300PWE, NIP6600 V500R001C00, V500R001C00SPC200, V500R001C00SPC300, V500R001C00SPC500, V500R001C00SPH303, V500R001C00SPH508, V500R001C20, V500R001C20SPC100, V500R001C20SPC100PWE, V500R001C20SPC200, V500R001C20SPC200B062, V500R001C20SPC200PWE, V500R001C20SPC300B078, Secospace USG6300 V500R001C00, V500R001C00SPC200, V500R001C00SPC300, V500R001C00SPC500, V500R001C00SPC500PWE, V500R001C00SPH303, V500R001C00SPH508, V500R001C20, V500R001C20SPC100, V500R001C20SPC100PWE, V500R001C20SPC101, V500R001C20SPC200, V500R001C20SPC200B062, V500R001C20SPC200PWE, V500R001C20SPC300B078, V500R001C20SPC300PWE, Secospace USG6500 V500R001C00, V500R001C00SPC200, V500R001C00SPC300, V500R001C00SPC500, V500R001C00SPC500PWE, V500R001C00SPH303, V500R001C00SPH508, V500R001C20, V500R001C20SPC100, V500R001C20SPC100PWE, V500R001C20SPC101, V500R001C20SPC200, V500R001C20SPC200B062, V500R001C20SPC200PWE, V500R001C20SPC300B078, V500R001C20SPC300PWE, Secospace USG6600 V500R001C00, V500R001C00SPC100, V500R001C00SPC200, V500R001C00SPC300, V500R001C00SPC301, V500R001C00SPC500, V500R001C00SPC500PWE, V500R001C00SPH303, V500R001C20, V500R001C20SPC100, V500R001C20SPC100PWE, V500R001C20SPC101, V500R001C20SPC200, V500R001C20SPC200PWE, V500R001C20SPC300, V500R001C20SPC300B078, V500R001C20SPC300PWE, USG9500 V500R001C00, V500R001C00SPC200, V500R001C00SPC300, V500R001C00SPC303, V500R001C00SPC500, V500R001C00SPC500PWE, V500R001C00SPH303, V500R001C00SPH508, V500R001C20, V500R001C20SPC100, V500R001C20SPC100PWE, V500R001C20SPC101, V500R001C20SPC200, V500R001C20SPC200B062, V500R001C20SPC200PWE, V500R001C20SPC300B078, V500R001C20SPC300PWE has an out-of-bounds memory access vulnerability due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit it to craft special packets to trigger out-of-bounds memory access, which may further lead to system exceptions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17156 affects Huawei's IPS Module and various firewall models including USG6300, USG6500, USG6600, and USG9500 across multiple software versions. This issue resides within the IKEv2 implementation where insufficient input validation leads to out-of-bounds memory access. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of crafted packets during the Internet Key Exchange version 2 protocol processing, which is fundamental to establishing secure communication channels in virtual private networks. The affected systems process IKEv2 messages without adequate bounds checking on incoming data, creating a potential entry point for malicious actors to disrupt system operations.
The technical flaw manifests when the system receives specially crafted IKEv2 packets that contain malformed or oversized data fields. These packets exploit the lack of proper input validation mechanisms within the IKEv2 processing engine, allowing attackers to trigger memory access violations. When the system attempts to process these malformed packets, it reads or writes beyond allocated memory boundaries, potentially causing system crashes, unexpected behavior, or even allowing for arbitrary code execution depending on the implementation details. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which describes improper validation of array index bounds, and is classified under the broader category of memory safety issues in network protocol implementations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system instability. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could cause denial of service conditions across critical network infrastructure, potentially disrupting secure communications for extended periods. In environments where these devices serve as primary security gateways, such an attack could compromise network availability and integrity, affecting business continuity and potentially exposing sensitive data flows. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal network access and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous in perimeter defense scenarios where these devices are deployed. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks and represents a significant threat to network infrastructure security.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate firmware updates from Huawei addressing the specific input validation issues within the IKEv2 implementation. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit exposure, deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious IKEv2 traffic patterns, and consider disabling IKEv2 functionality if it is not essential for operations. Additionally, network administrators should establish monitoring procedures to detect system exceptions or unexpected restarts that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of network infrastructure components and maintaining current patch management processes are essential to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the future. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of robust input validation in security-critical network protocols and highlights the need for continuous security auditing of network infrastructure devices.