CVE-2017-16265 : What You Need to Know

CVE-2017-16265 is a vulnerability in the PubNub message handler for the "cc" channel of the Insteon Hub with firmware version 1012, allowing for buffer overflow attacks.

Understanding CVE-2017-16265

This CVE involves buffer overflow vulnerabilities in the Insteon Hub's PubNub message handler, potentially leading to arbitrary data overwrites.

What is CVE-2017-16265?

The vulnerability in the PubNub message handler for the "cc" channel of the Insteon Hub with firmware version 1012 allows attackers to trigger a stack-based buffer overflow by sending crafted commands via the PubNub service.

The Impact of CVE-2017-16265

The impact of this vulnerability is rated as HIGH, with confidentiality, integrity, and availability all being significantly compromised.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-16265

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability involves several buffer overflow issues in the PubNub message handler for the "cc" channel of the Insteon Hub with firmware version 1012.
Attackers can exploit this by sending specifically crafted commands via the PubNub service, triggering a stack-based buffer overflow that overwrites arbitrary data.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: Insteon
Product: Hub
Versions Affected: Not specified

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers need to send authenticated HTTP requests to exploit this vulnerability.
One specific vulnerability is found in the "cmd l_bt" function at address 0x9d016104, where the "grp" key value is copied to a buffer of only 8 bytes in size, leading to a buffer overflow.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2017-16265 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Insteon Hub firmware to the latest version.
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and audit network traffic for any suspicious activities.
Educate users on safe practices when interacting with IoT devices.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates from Insteon and apply patches promptly.