CVE-2017-17664 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A Remote Crash issue has been identified in Asterisk Open Source versions 13.x before 13.18.4, 14.x before 14.7.4, and 15.x before 15.1.4, as well as in Certified Asterisk before 13.13-cert9. The crash occurs due to specific compound RTCP packets in the RTCP Stack.

Understanding CVE-2017-17664

This CVE involves a vulnerability in Asterisk Open Source and Certified Asterisk versions that can lead to remote crashing.

What is CVE-2017-17664?

The CVE-2017-17664 vulnerability is a remote crash issue found in specific versions of Asterisk Open Source and Certified Asterisk. It is triggered by encountering certain compound RTCP packets within the RTCP Stack.

The Impact of CVE-2017-17664

The vulnerability can be exploited remotely by attackers, potentially leading to denial of service (DoS) attacks or system crashes.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-17664

This section provides more in-depth technical information about the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises in Asterisk Open Source versions 13.x before 13.18.4, 14.x before 14.7.4, and 15.x before 15.1.4, as well as in Certified Asterisk before 13.13-cert9. The crash occurs when specific compound RTCP packets are encountered in the RTCP Stack.

Affected Systems and Versions

Asterisk Open Source 13.x before 13.18.4
Asterisk Open Source 14.x before 14.7.4
Asterisk Open Source 15.x before 15.1.4
Certified Asterisk before 13.13-cert9

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability is exploited by sending malicious compound RTCP packets to the target system, causing the RTCP Stack to crash.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2017-17664 requires immediate actions and long-term security measures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the recommended patches provided by the vendor promptly.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity related to RTCP packets.
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch Asterisk software to the latest versions.
Conduct security assessments and audits to identify and address vulnerabilities proactively.
Educate users and administrators about the importance of cybersecurity best practices.
Consider implementing intrusion detection and prevention systems to enhance network security.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that all affected systems are updated with the latest patches released by Asterisk to mitigate the vulnerability.