CVE-2017-6641 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Cisco Remote Expert Manager Software 11.0.0 is susceptible to a denial of service vulnerability due to a lack of rate-limiting capabilities in the TCP Listen application.

Understanding CVE-2017-6641

An unauthenticated attacker could exploit this vulnerability to disable TCP ports, leading to a denial of service situation.

What is CVE-2017-6641?

The vulnerability in Cisco Remote Expert Manager Software 11.0.0 allows attackers to flood the system with crafted TCP traffic, potentially causing TCP listening ports to stop accepting incoming connections.

The Impact of CVE-2017-6641

Attackers could disable TCP ports, leading to a denial of service scenario
System resources like CPU and memory could be depleted
Temporary unavailability of TCP listening ports on the affected system

Technical Details of CVE-2017-6641

Cisco Remote Expert Manager Software 11.0.0 vulnerability details:

Vulnerability Description

Lack of rate-limiting capabilities in the TCP Listen application
Attackers can flood the system with specific TCP packets to exploit the vulnerability

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Cisco Remote Expert Manager
Version: 11.0.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attacker floods the system with a crafted stream of TCP traffic
Specific types of TCP packets, like those with the TCP FIN bit set, are used

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to address CVE-2017-6641:

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply vendor patches and updates
Monitor network traffic for any signs of exploitation

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks
Regularly update and patch software to address known vulnerabilities
Conduct security training for staff to recognize and respond to potential threats

Patching and Updates

Check for security advisories from Cisco and apply recommended patches
Keep software and systems up to date to mitigate known vulnerabilities