CVE-2017-3470 in Communications Security Gateway
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle Communications Security Gateway component of Oracle Communications Applications (subcomponent: Network). The supported version that is affected is 3.0.0. Easily "exploitable" vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via ICMP Ping to compromise Oracle Communications Security Gateway. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a partial denial of service (partial DOS) of Oracle Communications Security Gateway. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 5.3 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3470 resides within Oracle Communications Security Gateway version 3.0.0, specifically within the Network subcomponent of the Oracle Communications Applications suite. This security flaw represents a significant concern for organizations relying on Oracle's communication infrastructure solutions, as it affects a core network security component that handles critical traffic management and security functions. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers can leverage it with minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network access is not strictly controlled.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the ICMP Ping processing functionality of the Security Gateway. An unauthenticated attacker positioned on the network can send specially crafted ICMP ping requests that trigger a buffer overflow or similar memory corruption issue within the affected component. This flaw operates at the network protocol level, specifically targeting the ICMP protocol implementation that is commonly used for network diagnostics and monitoring. The vulnerability's impact is categorized as a partial denial of service, meaning that successful exploitation can disrupt service availability without necessarily leading to complete system compromise or data breach.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a substantial risk for organizations using Oracle Communications Security Gateway in production environments. The partial denial of service impact can manifest as network connectivity issues, reduced performance of security services, or disruption of communication flows that depend on the gateway's functionality. The CVSS 3.0 score of 5.3 indicates a medium severity vulnerability that requires immediate attention, particularly in environments where the gateway serves as a critical network security component. The attack vector AV:N (network access) combined with AC:L (low complexity) and PR:N (no privileges required) creates a dangerous combination that allows attackers to compromise systems from remote locations without authentication.
The security implications extend beyond simple service disruption, as this vulnerability could potentially be leveraged as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks within the network. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly within the Initial Access and Execution phases, where network-based attacks are commonly employed. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of how network protocol implementations can introduce security weaknesses. The lack of authentication requirements makes this vulnerability particularly attractive to attackers who seek to disrupt network services without requiring prior access credentials or insider knowledge of the system.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to limit access to the affected Security Gateway components, deploying network access control lists to restrict ICMP traffic, and applying Oracle's official security patches as soon as they become available. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs, as it highlights how even well-established security products can contain implementation flaws that expose organizations to risk. System administrators should also consider monitoring for unusual ICMP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and maintain comprehensive incident response procedures to address potential service disruption events.