CVE-2017-17330 in AR3200
Summary
by MITRE
Huawei AR3200 V200R005C32; V200R006C10; V200R006C11; V200R007C00; V200R007C01; V200R007C02; V200R008C00; V200R008C10; V200R008C20; V200R008C30; NGFW Module V500R001C00; V500R001C20; V500R002C00 have a memory leak vulnerability. The software does not release allocated memory properly when parse XML element data. An authenticated attacker could upload a crafted XML file, successful exploit could cause the system service abnormal since run out of memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17330 affects Huawei AR3200 series routers and NGFW modules across multiple firmware versions, representing a critical memory management flaw that can lead to denial of service conditions. This vulnerability resides within the XML parsing functionality of the affected devices, where improper memory deallocation occurs during the processing of XML element data. The flaw specifically manifests when the system encounters crafted XML files that trigger memory allocation without subsequent proper release, creating a gradual accumulation of memory consumption over time.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate memory management practices within the XML parser component of Huawei's networking equipment. When an authenticated attacker uploads a maliciously crafted XML file, the system's XML processing engine allocates memory blocks to handle the parsed elements but fails to properly deallocate these resources upon completion of processing. This memory leak behavior is particularly concerning because it operates incrementally, allowing the system to gradually consume available memory resources until service disruption occurs. The vulnerability is classified as a memory leak under CWE-401, which specifically addresses improper management of memory resources.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple resource exhaustion to potentially compromise network availability and service continuity. The authenticated nature of the exploit requires an attacker to have valid credentials, but this limitation does not mitigate the severity of the impact. Once exploited, the vulnerability can cause system services to become unresponsive or crash entirely, leading to network outages that affect business operations. The memory exhaustion process can be subtle and may not immediately trigger system alerts, making detection more challenging for network administrators who must monitor for gradual performance degradation or unexpected service interruptions.
The attack vector for this vulnerability involves an authenticated user uploading a specially crafted XML file through legitimate administrative interfaces, typically via web-based management portals or command-line interfaces. The attacker's ability to leverage this vulnerability demonstrates a significant security weakness in Huawei's memory management implementation, particularly within the XML parsing subsystem. This flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks, and represents a form of resource exhaustion attack that can be classified as a system resource exhaustion vulnerability under the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate firmware upgrades to versions that address the memory leak issue, as provided by Huawei security patches. Network administrators should implement strict access controls and monitor for unusual memory consumption patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular system monitoring for memory usage trends and automated alerting for memory exhaustion conditions can help detect potential exploitation before complete service disruption occurs. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper memory management practices in network infrastructure devices and underscores the need for comprehensive security testing of parsing components within network equipment to prevent similar issues in the future.