CVE-2017-2911 in Circle with Disney
Summary
by MITRE
An exploitable vulnerability exists in the remote control functionality of Circle with Disney running firmware 2.0.1. SSL certificates for specific domain names can cause the rclient daemon to accept a different certificate than intended. An attacker can host an HTTPS server with this certificate to trigger this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2911 represents a critical certificate validation flaw within the Circle with Disney smart home device firmware version 2.0.1. This device operates as a remote control system that relies on secure communication protocols to maintain device integrity and user privacy. The issue stems from improper SSL certificate validation mechanisms that fail to properly verify certificate identity during the secure communication establishment process. The affected rclient daemon demonstrates a weakness in certificate pinning or hostname verification that allows for certificate substitution attacks, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the device's remote control functionality.
This technical flaw specifically manifests when the device attempts to establish secure connections to specific domain names within its operational framework. The vulnerability occurs because the SSL certificate validation process does not adequately verify that the presented certificate matches the expected domain name or certificate authority. This allows attackers to host a malicious HTTPS server that presents a certificate which the device accepts despite being different from the intended certificate. The flaw essentially creates a man-in-the-middle attack vector where the device unknowingly establishes secure connections with attacker-controlled servers rather than legitimate service endpoints.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential device compromise and data exposure. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can intercept and potentially manipulate all communications between the Circle with Disney device and its intended service endpoints. This could enable them to gain control over the device's remote control functionality, potentially allowing them to execute unauthorized commands or access sensitive user data. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security model of the device, undermining the trust relationship between the device and its service infrastructure. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in certificate validation (CWE-295) with implications for authentication and secure communication protocols. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol: DNS, as the compromised device may be used to establish unauthorized communication channels.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from the manufacturer to address the certificate validation logic. Users should ensure their Circle with Disney devices are running the latest firmware version that includes proper certificate validation mechanisms. Network administrators should implement additional monitoring to detect unusual communication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The device configuration should be reviewed to limit unnecessary remote access capabilities and ensure that only authorized endpoints can establish secure connections. Organizations implementing these devices should consider network segmentation to isolate them from critical infrastructure and implement intrusion detection systems to monitor for potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper certificate pinning implementation and regular security assessments of IoT devices to identify similar validation weaknesses that could be exploited by attackers.