CVE-2017-8174 in USG6300
Summary
by MITRE
Huawei USG6300 V100R001C30SPC300 and USG6600 with software of V100R001C30SPC500,V100R001C30SPC600,V100R001C30SPC700,V100R001C30SPC800 have a weak algorithm vulnerability. Attackers may exploit the weak algorithm vulnerability to crack the cipher text and cause confidential information leaks on the transmission links.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8174 affects Huawei USG6300 and USG6600 firewall appliances running specific software versions including V100R001C30SPC500, V100R001C30SPC600, V100R001C30SPC700, and V100R001C30SPC800. This weakness stems from the implementation of cryptographic algorithms that do not meet modern security standards, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on these devices for network protection and data transmission security. The affected firewalls are widely deployed in enterprise and government networks where secure communication channels are critical for maintaining data integrity and confidentiality.
The technical flaw manifests in the use of weak cryptographic algorithms for securing network communications and data transmission links. When encryption is implemented using insufficiently strong algorithms, attackers can exploit mathematical weaknesses or computational limitations to reverse-engineer encrypted data. This vulnerability specifically targets the cipher text used in network transmission protocols, allowing unauthorized parties to potentially intercept and decode sensitive information flowing through the network infrastructure. The weakness creates a direct pathway for man-in-the-middle attacks and data exfiltration attempts that bypass traditional network security measures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data confidentiality breaches to encompass potential system compromise and regulatory compliance violations. Organizations using affected Huawei firewalls face significant risk of unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data, customer information, and proprietary communications that traverse these devices. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security assurances provided by the network infrastructure, potentially enabling attackers to gain insights into network topology, user activities, and business operations. This weakness undermines the trust model that organizations rely upon when implementing network security controls and can result in substantial financial and reputational damage.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-8174 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from Huawei to address the weak algorithm implementation. Organizations must conduct comprehensive inventory assessments to identify all affected devices and implement network segmentation to limit the attack surface. Security teams should monitor network traffic for signs of exploitation attempts and consider implementing additional encryption layers where possible. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-327 which addresses the use of weak cryptographic algorithms, and represents a significant concern under ATT&CK technique T1041 for data extraction and T1566 for credential access through network infrastructure compromise. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to prevent similar weaknesses in future deployments and ensure compliance with industry standards including NIST SP 800-57 for cryptographic key management and ISO/IEC 27001 for information security management.