CVE-2018-17614 in Arduino MQTT Client
Summary
by MITRE
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable installations of Losant Arduino MQTT Client prior to V2.7. User interaction is not required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the parsing of MQTT PUBLISH packets. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a fixed-length stack-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-6436.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/06/2023
This vulnerability affects the Losant Arduino MQTT Client version prior to V2.7 and represents a critical buffer overflow flaw that enables remote code execution without user interaction. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation during the processing of MQTT PUBLISH packets, specifically in how the software handles the length of user-supplied data. The flaw manifests when the system attempts to copy data from an unvalidated source into a fixed-length stack-based buffer, creating a classic buffer overflow condition that can be exploited by remote attackers to gain arbitrary code execution on affected systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows the CWE-121 pattern of stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient bounds checking allows an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations in the stack. When an MQTT PUBLISH packet is received, the client fails to properly validate the length of the packet payload before copying it into a predetermined buffer size. This allows an attacker to craft a malicious packet with a payload larger than the allocated buffer space, causing a buffer overflow that can overwrite return addresses, function pointers, or other critical stack data. The vulnerability operates entirely within the MQTT protocol context, leveraging the standard publish-subscribe messaging pattern to deliver the malicious payload.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution to potentially compromise the entire embedded system where the Losant Arduino MQTT Client is deployed. Since the vulnerability does not require user interaction, attackers can exploit it remotely through the MQTT network without needing physical access to the device. This makes it particularly dangerous for IoT deployments where devices may be exposed to untrusted networks or where the MQTT broker is accessible from the internet. The exploitation can result in complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or the ability to use the compromised device as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the same network infrastructure.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to Losant Arduino MQTT Client version 2.7 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the buffer overflow condition. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to MQTT brokers and ports to trusted sources only. Additionally, monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual MQTT traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1071.001 for application layer protocol, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary commands through the MQTT protocol and leverage standard network communications for their attacks. Regular security assessments of IoT device firmware and network configurations should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other embedded systems that may be susceptible to similar buffer overflow conditions.