CVE-2017-2861 in Xltek NeuroWorks
Summary
by MITRE
An exploitable Denial of Service vulnerability exists in the use of a return value in the NewProducerStream command in Natus Xltek NeuroWorks 8. A specially crafted network packet can cause an out of bounds read resulting in a denial of service. An attacker can send a malicious packet to trigger this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2861 represents a critical denial of service weakness within Natus Xltek NeuroWorks 8 software, specifically manifesting in the NewProducerStream command implementation. This flaw resides in the improper handling of return values during network packet processing, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to disrupt system operations. The affected system operates within medical device environments where continuous operation is paramount for patient monitoring and clinical workflows, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for healthcare infrastructure security.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from an out-of-bounds read condition that occurs when processing the NewProducerStream command. When a specially crafted network packet is transmitted to the vulnerable system, the application fails to properly validate or sanitize the return value from a critical function call. This improper validation leads to memory access violations where the system attempts to read data beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. The vulnerability is classified as a buffer over-read condition that falls under CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities in software systems. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation and memory management practices that are commonly exploited in denial of service attacks targeting industrial control systems and medical devices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise patient safety in medical environments where NeuroWorks 8 systems are deployed. Attackers can remotely trigger the denial of service condition by sending malicious network packets, causing the application to crash or become unresponsive. This disruption can interrupt critical monitoring processes, potentially leading to missed patient events or delayed clinical responses. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in healthcare settings where system uptime is critical for patient care, and the attack vector requires no authentication or specialized privileges, making it accessible to any network-connected attacker. The affected system architecture suggests this vulnerability could be exploited as part of broader attack campaigns targeting healthcare IT infrastructure, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1499.001 for network denial of service attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate software updates and network segmentation measures to protect affected systems. Organizations should prioritize applying vendor-provided patches and security updates that address the return value handling issue in the NewProducerStream command. Network administrators should implement firewall rules and access controls to restrict network access to affected systems, particularly in healthcare environments where these devices operate. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and defensive programming practices, with recommendations to implement bounds checking and memory safety mechanisms throughout the application code. Additionally, continuous monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be deployed to identify potential exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in legacy medical device software. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation strategies that isolate critical medical devices from general network traffic to reduce the attack surface and limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities.