CVE-2017-20011 in INTEREST Security Scanner
Summary
by MITRE • 03/29/2022
** UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED ** A vulnerability was found in WEKA INTEREST Security Scanner 1.8. It has been rated as problematic. This issue affects some unknown processing of the component HTTP Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to denial of service. It is possible to launch the attack on the local host. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. NOTE: This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/06/2024
CVE-2017-20011 represents a denial of service vulnerability within the WEKA INTEREST Security Scanner version 1.8 that demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining supported software versions in cybersecurity operations. This vulnerability resides within the HTTP Handler component of the security scanner, which serves as a critical interface for processing web-based security assessments and network traffic analysis. The flaw manifests when the system processes specific malformed or crafted inputs through the HTTP handler, leading to a complete system denial of service condition that renders the security scanner non-operational. The vulnerability's classification as problematic indicates that while it may not directly enable arbitrary code execution or data compromise, it creates a significant operational disruption that can prevent security teams from conducting essential network assessments and threat detection activities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes issues related to resource exhaustion and denial of service conditions in software systems. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it can be executed locally on the host system where the vulnerable scanner is installed, meaning that an attacker with local access can trigger the denial of service condition without requiring external network connectivity. This local attack capability significantly broadens the potential threat surface, as it can be exploited by malicious insiders, compromised local accounts, or attackers who have already gained local system access through other means. The vulnerability's exploitation is facilitated by the specific input processing within the HTTP handler component, which fails to properly validate or sanitize incoming HTTP requests before processing them, leading to resource exhaustion or system instability that causes the application to crash or become unresponsive.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-20011 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise entire security monitoring operations within affected organizations. When a security scanner becomes unavailable due to this denial of service condition, organizations lose visibility into their network security posture, creating gaps in threat detection and compliance monitoring. Security operations teams may find themselves unable to perform scheduled vulnerability assessments, network scanning activities, or real-time security monitoring tasks that depend on the scanner's functionality. This vulnerability directly impacts the ATT&CK framework's T1499 category related to network denial of service attacks, as it represents a method by which attackers can compromise system availability. The fact that the exploit has been publicly disclosed further amplifies the risk, as security teams must now account for potential adversaries who may be actively seeking to exploit this known vulnerability in environments where the unsupported scanner remains in production.
Organizations must prioritize immediate remediation actions to address this vulnerability, including upgrading to supported versions of the WEKA INTEREST Security Scanner or implementing network segmentation to isolate the affected systems. The vulnerability's classification as affecting unsupported products underscores the critical importance of maintaining current software support agreements and regular security updates as part of comprehensive cybersecurity risk management. Additionally, implementing network-based monitoring and intrusion detection systems can help detect exploitation attempts of this vulnerability, while maintaining detailed system logs can provide forensic evidence of successful attacks. The vulnerability serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with running unsupported software in production environments, as these systems often contain known security flaws that are not patched or updated by vendors, leaving organizations exposed to both known and emerging threats that can compromise system availability and overall security posture.