CVE-2018-17769 in Telium 2
Summary
by MITRE
Ingenico Telium 2 POS terminals have a buffer overflow via the 0x26 command of the NTPT3 protocol. This is fixed in Telium 2 SDK v9.32.03 patch N.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/10/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-17769 affects Ingenico Telium 2 point of sale terminals, specifically targeting the NTPT3 protocol implementation. This buffer overflow vulnerability manifests through the 0x26 command, which represents a critical security flaw in the terminal's communication protocol handling. The affected devices operate within retail and financial environments where secure transaction processing is paramount, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations relying on these payment terminals. The vulnerability exists in the protocol parsing logic where insufficient input validation allows maliciously crafted data packets to overwrite adjacent memory regions, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system crashes.
The technical flaw stems from improper bounds checking within the NTPT3 protocol handler, specifically when processing the 0x26 command. This command is typically used for communication between the terminal and external systems, but due to inadequate buffer size validation, an attacker can craft a payload that exceeds the allocated memory space. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient boundary checks allow data to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The flaw represents a classic example of unsafe memory manipulation that can be exploited through protocol-level attacks, particularly when the terminal receives untrusted data from external sources such as payment processors or network communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system instability, as it creates potential attack vectors for adversaries seeking to compromise payment terminals in retail environments. Attackers could leverage this buffer overflow to execute arbitrary code on the affected terminals, potentially leading to data theft, transaction manipulation, or complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects the integrity and availability of payment processing operations, which could result in financial losses, regulatory compliance issues, and damage to organizational reputation. Given that these terminals often handle sensitive financial transactions, the potential for exploitation could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to payment card data or disrupt business operations during critical transaction periods.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves applying the vendor-provided patch released in Telium 2 SDK v9.32.03 patch N, which addresses the buffer overflow condition through proper input validation and memory boundary checks. Organizations should conduct thorough testing of the patch in their environments to ensure compatibility with existing payment processing applications and protocols. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect unusual communication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date firmware and security patches in embedded systems, particularly those handling financial transactions, as highlighted by ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution. Organizations should also implement security monitoring solutions that can detect protocol anomalies and unauthorized access attempts, given the nature of this vulnerability falling under the category of protocol-based attacks that can be executed remotely without physical access to the terminals.