CVE-2017-16314 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

CVE-2017-16314, assigned by Talos, pertains to multiple buffer overflow vulnerabilities in the Insteon Hub's PubNub message handler. These vulnerabilities can be exploited by sending specially crafted commands through the PubNub service, potentially leading to a stack-based buffer overflow.

Understanding CVE-2017-16314

The Insteon Hub, running firmware version 1012, is susceptible to buffer overflow vulnerabilities in its PubNub message handler for the "cc" channel.

What is CVE-2017-16314?

The vulnerability involves sending authenticated HTTP requests with specially crafted commands through the PubNub service, triggering a stack-based buffer overflow that can overwrite arbitrary data.

The Impact of CVE-2017-16314

CVSS Score: 8.5 (High)
Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: High
Privileges Required: Low
Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability Impact: High

Technical Details of CVE-2017-16314

The following technical details outline the vulnerability, affected systems, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability lies in the PubNub message handler of the Insteon Hub, allowing attackers to trigger a stack-based buffer overflow by sending crafted commands.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: Insteon
Product: Hub
Affected Version: Not specified

Exploitation Mechanism

Attacker sends authenticated HTTP request with crafted commands through the PubNub service
Vulnerability triggered in the

cmd s_sonos

at memory address 0x9d01c1cc
Buffer overflow occurs when

s_speaker

value is copied to a buffer at

$sp+0x2b0

using

strcpy

function
Buffer size is 32 bytes, leading to overflow if longer data is sent

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2017-16314, consider the following mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Insteon Hub firmware to the latest version
Implement network segmentation to limit access to vulnerable devices

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and update firmware for IoT devices
Conduct security assessments to identify and address vulnerabilities

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by Insteon for the Hub