CVE-2017-3830 in Meeting Server
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in an internal API of the Cisco Meeting Server (CMS) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on the affected appliance. More Information: CSCvc89678. Known Affected Releases: 2.1. Known Fixed Releases: 2.1.2.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3830 represents a critical denial of service weakness within Cisco Meeting Server version 2.1, specifically affecting an internal application programming interface that processes incoming requests without proper authentication mechanisms. This flaw resides in the server's internal communication protocols and exposes the system to remote exploitation by unauthorized actors who can trigger system instability through crafted API calls. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and authentication checks within the internal API layer, allowing attackers to send malformed requests that cause the CMS appliance to crash or become unresponsive.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of an unprotected internal endpoint that handles meeting-related service requests. When an unauthenticated attacker sends specially crafted requests to this API, the system fails to properly validate the incoming data and process the requests appropriately, leading to resource exhaustion or application state corruption. This weakness directly maps to CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in software systems, and specifically relates to CWE-400, concerning unspecified denial of service conditions. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be classified under ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks through resource exhaustion.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can potentially compromise the entire meeting infrastructure managed by the Cisco Meeting Server. Organizations relying on this platform for video conferencing, collaboration, and remote meetings face significant business continuity risks when this vulnerability is exploited. The DoS condition can affect multiple concurrent users and may require manual intervention to restore system functionality, including potential device rebooting or configuration resets. This vulnerability particularly impacts enterprises that depend on unified communications platforms for critical business operations, where meeting availability directly correlates with productivity and customer service delivery.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-3830 primarily involve applying the official Cisco security patch released in version 2.1.2, which addresses the authentication and input validation gaps in the internal API. Organizations should implement network segmentation to restrict access to the internal API endpoints, ensuring that only authorized management systems can communicate with the CMS appliance. Additional protective measures include deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious API access patterns, implementing rate limiting on API endpoints to prevent abuse, and maintaining comprehensive logging of all API interactions for forensic analysis. Security teams should also consider disabling unnecessary internal services and regularly reviewing access controls to minimize the attack surface. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of securing internal APIs and implementing proper authentication mechanisms even within trusted network environments, as highlighted by ATT&CK technique T1071.004, which addresses application layer protocol usage for command and control communications.