CVE-2017-6742KEV · OVERDUE

Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software SNMP Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

High · published July 17, 2017

Patch now

Confirmed exploited, and the score agrees

CVSS calls it high at 8.8. It is confirmed in active exploitation. It sits in the 97.6th percentile for exploit probability.

1261
days past CISA
deadline
CVSS v3.0
8.8
EPSS
21%
Percentile
97.6
In the wild
Confirmed
What it is

🚨 An authenticated user can send just the right SNMP packet to unleash chaos — think of it like a remote control that can either cause a device reboot or take over its functions entirely! 🔥 This vulnerability is akin to a hotel guest who knows the correct room number and can simply walk in and redecorate to their liking or, worse, throw a party with zero regard for the actual owner. It’s a surprising breach of trust that can lead to major system havoc! If an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they could execute arbitrary code, giving them full reign over the system. Worst-case scenario? They could cause the system to reload, disrupting operations and leaving sensitive data vulnerable in the process. This is a significant risk that could lead to catastrophic consequences for any organization relying on these systems.

Put simply

This vulnerability is akin to a hotel guest who knows the correct room number and can simply walk in and redecorate to their liking or, worse, throw a party with zero regard for the actual owner. It’s a surprising breach of trust that can lead to major system havoc! CVE-2017-6742 is a buffer overflow vulnerability in the SNMP implementation that allows an authenticated remote attacker to either reload the affected system or execute arbitrary code by sending a crafted SNMP packet. This affects all SNMP versions (1, 2c, and 3), requiring knowledge of specific community strings or user credentials.

What to do

If an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they could execute arbitrary code, giving them full reign over the system. Worst-case scenario? They could cause the system to reload, disrupting operations and leaving sensitive data vulnerable in the process. This is a significant risk that could lead to catastrophic consequences for any organization relying on these systems. To mitigate this, ensure you update the SNMP implementation to a patched version, review your SNMP configurations to restrict access, and consider implementing additional network security measures to filter SNMP traffic. Don't forget to change community strings to something strong and unique! You've got this! Follow these steps, and you'll have those systems secured in no time! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.0
8.8 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.21424 · 97.6th percentile
Published
2017-07-17T21:00Z
KEV added
2023-04-19 · due 2023-05-10
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 19 APR 00:00Z
    Added to CISA KEV — remediate by May 10
    kev
  • 17 JUL 21:00Z
    A vulnerability in the SNMP implementation of could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to cause a reload of the affected system or to remotely execute…
    cvelistv5