CVE-2017-17317 in Secospace USG6300
Summary
by MITRE
Common Open Policy Service Protocol (COPS) module in Huawei USG6300 V100R001C10; V100R001C20; V100R001C30; V500R001C00; V500R001C20; V500R001C30; V500R001C50; Secospace USG6500 V100R001C10; V100R001C20; V100R001C30; V500R001C00; V500R001C20; V500R001C30; V500R001C50; Secospace USG6600 V100R001C00; V100R001C20; V100R001C30; V500R001C00; V500R001C20; V500R001C30; V500R001C50; TE30 V100R001C02; V100R001C10; V500R002C00; V600R006C00; TE40 V500R002C00; V600R006C00; TE50 V500R002C00; V600R006C00; TE60 V100R001C01; V100R001C10; V500R002C00; V600R006C00 has a buffer overflow vulnerability. An unauthenticated, remote attacker has to control the peer device and send specially crafted message to the affected products. Due to insufficient input validation, successful exploit may cause some services abnormal.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/29/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17317 affects Huawei's Common Open Policy Service Protocol (COPS) module across multiple security appliance models including USG6300, Secospace USG6500, USG6600, and various TE series devices. This buffer overflow vulnerability exists within the COPS protocol implementation that governs policy control and enforcement in Huawei's network security infrastructure. The affected versions span multiple software releases including V100R001C10 through V100R001C50 for the USG6300 series, V500R001C00 through V500R001C50 for the USG6500 and USG6600 series, and various releases for TE series endpoints. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the COPS module that processes policy-related messages from peer devices, creating a condition where malformed or oversized data packets can exceed allocated buffer boundaries.
The technical flaw manifests when the COPS module receives specially crafted messages from a peer device that has been compromised or controlled by an attacker. This attack requires the attacker to first gain control of a legitimate peer device within the network, which then becomes a vector for sending malicious COPS messages. The buffer overflow occurs during the processing of these messages, where insufficient boundary checks allow data to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-121, which covers stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and falls within the ATT&CK framework's technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1210 for exploitation of remote services. The specific attack vector requires an authenticated peer device to initiate communication with the vulnerable Huawei appliance, making it a sophisticated attack that relies on initial compromise of network peers rather than direct external access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the entire security infrastructure of affected networks. When successfully exploited, the buffer overflow can cause abnormal behavior in affected services, potentially leading to denial of service conditions where critical policy enforcement functions become unavailable. This degradation of service can result in unauthorized network access, as policy-based access control mechanisms may fail to properly enforce security rules. The vulnerability affects core network security functions that govern traffic control, access policies, and security enforcement, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where these appliances serve as primary security gateways. The attack requires minimal privileges for the initial compromise of a peer device, making it more accessible to threat actors who may already have partial network access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-17317 should focus on both immediate defensive measures and long-term architectural improvements. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit the scope of potential compromise, ensuring that peer device communication is restricted to trusted networks and validated through secure authentication mechanisms. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual COPS protocol traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on malformed message sequences and unexpected data sizes. Regular firmware updates should be deployed immediately upon availability of vendor patches, as Huawei has released fixes for this vulnerability. The implementation of network access control lists and firewall rules to restrict COPS protocol communication between devices can significantly reduce attack surface. Additionally, conducting regular security assessments and penetration testing of network infrastructure helps identify potential peer device compromises that could lead to exploitation of this vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to monitor for COPS protocol anomalies and maintain detailed logs of all policy enforcement activities for forensic analysis.