CVE-2017-12222 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

A vulnerability in the wireless controller manager of Cisco IOS XE could potentially allow an unauthorized attacker to trigger a denial of service (DoS) situation by causing a restart of the switch.

Understanding CVE-2017-12222

This CVE involves a flaw in Cisco IOS XE that could be exploited by an attacker in close proximity, leading to a DoS scenario.

What is CVE-2017-12222?

The vulnerability in the wireless controller manager of Cisco IOS XE allows an attacker to manipulate association requests to force a switch restart, resulting in a DoS situation.

The Impact of CVE-2017-12222

Unauthorized attackers in close proximity can exploit the vulnerability to trigger a switch restart, causing a DoS scenario.
The root cause is the lack of input validation, enabling attackers to manipulate crafted association requests.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-12222

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw allows attackers to exploit insufficient input validation in the wireless controller manager of Cisco IOS XE.

Affected Systems and Versions

Cisco Catalyst 3650 and 3850 switches running IOS XE Software versions 16.1 through 16.3.3 are impacted.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by submitting specially crafted association requests.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to address and prevent the CVE-2017-12222 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches and updates provided by Cisco to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity that could indicate exploitation attempts.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.
Regularly update and patch all network devices to prevent known vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories from Cisco and promptly apply recommended patches to secure the network.