CVE-2017-3860 : What You Need to Know

Cisco IOS and IOS XE EnergyWise Module Vulnerabilities

Understanding CVE-2017-3860

Multiple vulnerabilities in the EnergyWise module of Cisco IOS and Cisco IOS XE could potentially lead to denial of service (DoS) attacks.

What is CVE-2017-3860?

The vulnerabilities found in the EnergyWise module of Cisco IOS and IOS XE versions 12.2 and 15.0 through 15.6, and versions 3.2 through 3.18, could be exploited by remote attackers to cause buffer overflows or device reloads, resulting in DoS situations.

The Impact of CVE-2017-3860

Mishandling crafted packets within the EnergyWise feature can lead to buffer overflows or device reloads
Attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities by sending specially crafted EnergyWise packets
Exploitation can result in DoS conditions

Technical Details of CVE-2017-3860

Vulnerability Description

Improper parsing of EnergyWise packets can trigger buffer overflows or device reloads
Vulnerabilities are specific to IPv4 communication using EnergyWise

Affected Systems and Versions

Cisco IOS versions 12.2 and 15.0 through 15.6
Cisco IOS XE versions 3.2 through 3.18

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers send crafted EnergyWise packets to affected devices
Only IPv4 packets to EnergyWise domain members can trigger the vulnerabilities

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches provided by Cisco to address the vulnerabilities
Disable EnergyWise if not essential for operations

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch Cisco IOS and IOS XE installations
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories from Cisco
Apply patches promptly to mitigate risks