CVE-2017-17157 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-2017-17157 affects Huawei's IPS Module and various firewall models including USG6300, USG6500, USG6600, and USG9500 across multiple software versions. This issue stems from insufficient input validation within the IKEv2 implementation, specifically in how the system processes incoming packets. The flaw manifests as an out-of-bounds memory access condition that occurs when the device receives specially crafted packets designed to exploit the vulnerability. From a cybersecurity perspective, this represents a critical weakness that can be leveraged to disrupt normal operations and potentially escalate privileges within the affected systems. The vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, making it particularly concerning for network security infrastructure components. The affected devices operate at the network layer where they process Internet Key Exchange version 2 protocols, making them susceptible to exploitation during secure communication establishment phases.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves an attacker crafting malicious packets that trigger memory access violations in the IKEv2 processing module. When these malformed packets are received, the system fails to properly validate the input data structures before accessing memory locations, leading to unpredictable behavior including system crashes, restarts, or other operational anomalies. The out-of-bounds memory access can occur during various stages of IKEv2 negotiation, particularly when processing certain payload types or attribute values within the protocol messages. This type of vulnerability can be classified under the ATT&CK framework's technique T1059.007, which covers command and scripting interpreter usage, as exploitation may involve crafting specific network traffic patterns to trigger the memory corruption. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can potentially allow attackers to gain unauthorized access or escalate privileges depending on the system's response to the memory corruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-17157 poses significant risks to enterprise network security infrastructure, particularly in environments where these Huawei devices serve as critical security controls. Network availability can be severely compromised as the affected systems may crash or restart repeatedly when processing malicious packets, leading to service disruptions that can last from minutes to hours depending on the device configuration and network traffic patterns. Organizations using these devices face potential exposure to persistent attacks where attackers continuously send malformed packets to maintain system instability. The vulnerability's exploitation can also lead to information disclosure if the memory corruption results in data leakage from system processes or memory segments. In addition, the disruption caused by system crashes can interfere with legitimate network traffic and security monitoring operations, potentially masking other malicious activities or creating additional attack vectors. The widespread nature of affected models means that organizations across multiple sectors including finance, healthcare, and government may be impacted.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-17157 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Huawei devices with the vendor-provided security updates. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access control measures to limit exposure of affected devices to untrusted networks, particularly by restricting IKEv2 traffic from external sources. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous packet patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, using intrusion detection systems with updated signatures for this vulnerability. Configuration hardening practices should include disabling unused IKEv2 features and implementing strict input validation for all network protocols. Security teams should also consider implementing rate limiting and packet filtering rules that can help prevent the exploitation of memory access vulnerabilities. From a compliance standpoint, this vulnerability should be tracked as part of ongoing vulnerability management programs, with regular assessments to ensure all affected devices have been properly updated. The mitigation approach aligns with NIST SP 800-40 guidelines for vulnerability management and should be integrated into broader cybersecurity risk mitigation strategies. Organizations should also conduct security assessments to identify any other potential memory corruption vulnerabilities in their network infrastructure components.