CVE-2017-6742 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

Cisco SNMP Vulnerabilities in Cisco IOS and IOS XE

Understanding CVE-2017-6742

Cisco SNMP vulnerabilities affecting Cisco IOS and IOS XE versions.

What is CVE-2017-6742?

The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) subsystem in Cisco IOS versions 12.0 through 12.4 and 15.0 through 15.6, as well as IOS XE versions 2.2 through 3.17, contains multiple vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities could allow an authenticated remote attacker to execute remote code on the affected system or cause it to reload by sending a specially crafted SNMP packet.

The Impact of CVE-2017-6742

Remote code execution on affected systems
System reload due to exploitation
Vulnerabilities in SNMP subsystem
Buffer overflow condition in affected software
All versions of SNMP (Versions 1, 2c, and 3) are affected

Technical Details of CVE-2017-6742

Cisco SNMP Vulnerability Details

Vulnerability Description

Buffer overflow in SNMP subsystem
Exploitable by authenticated remote attackers
Crafted SNMP packet exploitation

Affected Systems and Versions

Cisco IOS versions 12.0 through 12.4 and 15.0 through 15.6
IOS XE versions 2.2 through 3.17

Exploitation Mechanism

Attacker sends specially crafted SNMP packet
Requires knowledge of SNMP community string or user credentials
Vulnerable devices with SNMP enabled

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting Against CVE-2017-6742

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable SNMP if not essential
Implement firewall rules to restrict SNMP access
Apply vendor-supplied patches and updates

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and update SNMP configurations
Conduct security assessments and audits

Patching and Updates

Apply Cisco patches for CVE-2017-6742
Keep systems up to date with the latest security fixes