CVE-2017-16311 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

CVE-2017-16311, assigned by Talos and published on January 11, 2023, highlights buffer overflow vulnerabilities in the PubNub message handler for the "cc" channel of Insteon Hub.

Understanding CVE-2017-16311

This CVE identifies multiple buffer overflow vulnerabilities in Insteon Hub's PubNub message handler, affecting firmware version 1012.

What is CVE-2017-16311?

The vulnerability allows attackers to trigger a stack-based buffer overflow by sending specially crafted commands through the PubNub service, potentially leading to arbitrary data overwrites.

The Impact of CVE-2017-16311

The vulnerability poses a high risk, with a CVSS base score of 8.5, impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-16311

The technical aspects of this CVE are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

Exploitable buffer overflow in the "cmd UpdateCheck" function of Insteon Hub
Vulnerability triggered by authenticated HTTP requests

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: Insteon
Product: Hub
Affected Version: Not specified

Exploitation Mechanism

Attacker sends specially crafted commands through the PubNub service
Vulnerability lies in copying the

type

key value to a buffer, causing a stack-based buffer overflow

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2017-16311, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Insteon Hub firmware to a secure version
Implement network segmentation to limit exposure

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and update firmware for security patches
Conduct security assessments to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by Insteon to fix the buffer overflow vulnerability