CVE-2018-3876 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE-2018-3876 article provides insights into a critical buffer overflow vulnerability in the Samsung SmartThings Hub STH-ETH-250 firmware version 0.20.17, impacting the video-core's HTTP server.

Understanding CVE-2018-3876

This vulnerability allows attackers to exploit a vulnerable credentials handler through a buffer overflow, potentially leading to severe consequences.

What is CVE-2018-3876?

The CVE-2018-3876 vulnerability in the Samsung SmartThings Hub STH-ETH-250 firmware version 0.20.17 arises from a buffer overflow in the video-core's HTTP server, triggered by an excessively long input.

The Impact of CVE-2018-3876

The impact of this vulnerability is rated as critical, with a CVSS base score of 9.9. It poses high risks to confidentiality, integrity, and availability, requiring low privileges for exploitation.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-3876

This section delves into the technical aspects of the CVE-2018-3876 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerable credentials handler in the video-core's HTTP server of Samsung SmartThings Hub STH-ETH-250 firmware version 0.20.17 allows a buffer overflow due to the strncpy function overflowing the 64-byte destination buffer.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: SmartThings Hub STH-ETH-250
Vendor: Samsung
Firmware Version: 0.20.17

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Scope: Changed
Exploitation Impact: High

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2018-3876 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply security patches provided by Samsung promptly.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activities.
Implement network segmentation to limit the attack surface.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update firmware and software to patch known vulnerabilities.
Conduct security assessments and penetration testing to identify weaknesses.
Educate users and employees on cybersecurity best practices.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories from Samsung.
Follow best practices for securely configuring and managing IoT devices.
Implement intrusion detection and prevention systems to detect and block malicious activities.