CVE-2017-8119 in UMA
Summary
by MITRE
The UMA product with software V200R001 and V300R001 has a privilege elevation vulnerability due to insufficient validation or improper processing of parameters. An attacker could craft specific packets to exploit these vulnerabilities to gain elevated privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8119 affects the UMA (Unified Management Architecture) product line, specifically versions V200R001 and V300R001, representing a critical privilege escalation flaw that undermines the security posture of network management systems. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the software's parameter processing routines, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to elevate their privileges within the system. The flaw exists at the core of the product's authentication and authorization framework, where insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data enables attackers to manipulate system behavior through crafted network packets. The vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of managed network infrastructure, as successful exploitation could provide attackers with administrative access to network management functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through improper parameter validation mechanisms that fail to adequately sanitize or authenticate input received from network communications. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specifically formatted packets that bypass normal access controls and authentication checks, effectively allowing them to escalate privileges from standard user levels to administrative or root-level access. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-20 category of "Improper Input Validation" and represents a classic example of how insufficient parameter validation can lead to privilege escalation attacks. The attack vector operates at the network layer where the UMA product processes incoming packets, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited remotely without requiring physical access or prior authentication. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to inject malicious parameters that are then processed without proper validation, leading to unauthorized privilege elevation.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-8119 extends far beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally compromises the security architecture of network management systems that rely on UMA products for their operational integrity. Once exploited, attackers can gain complete control over network management functions, potentially leading to network disruption, data exfiltration, or further lateral movement within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation," and represents a significant threat to enterprise network security. The implications are particularly severe for organizations that depend on centralized network management systems, as the compromise of a single UMA device could provide attackers with visibility and control over the entire managed network segment. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not need to be physically present within the network perimeter, making it a particularly attractive target for sophisticated threat actors.
Organizations affected by CVE-2017-8119 should implement immediate mitigations including applying vendor-provided patches or firmware updates that address the parameter validation flaws in the UMA product versions. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect anomalous packet patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other systems that may be running affected UMA versions, as the vulnerability affects specific software releases rather than the entire product line. The mitigation strategy should include implementing network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify and block the specific packet formats used in exploitation attempts, while also establishing robust logging and audit mechanisms to track privilege elevation events. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to ensure that similar validation flaws do not exist in other network management components, as this vulnerability represents a systemic issue in parameter handling that could affect other software components within the same product family.