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CVE-2017-3881

CVE-2017-3881

CVSS 9.8 CRITICALEPSS 99.0%● KEVCWE-20
In short

A flaw in Cisco devices' Telnet protocol handling allows attackers to send specially crafted commands that can crash the device or take complete control of it without needing a password. This affects many Cisco switches and network equipment.

Technical detail

The vulnerability exists in the Cluster Management Protocol (CMP) Telnet option processing, which fails to restrict CMP-specific options to internal cluster communications. An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this by sending malformed CMP Telnet options over any Telnet connection to an affected device, resulting in arbitrary code execution with elevated privileges or denial of service through device reload.

Summary generated and translated by AI from the official description.
A vulnerability in the Cisco Cluster Management Protocol (CMP) processing code in Cisco IOS and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a reload of an affected device or remotely execute code with elevated privileges. The Cluster Management Protocol utilizes Telnet internally as a signaling and command protocol between cluster members. The vulnerability is due to the combination of two factors: (1) the failure to restrict the use of CMP-specific Telnet options only to internal, local communications between cluster members and instead accept and process such options over any Telnet connection to an affected device; and (2) the incorrect processing of malformed CMP-specific Telnet options. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending malformed CMP-specific Telnet options while establishing a Telnet session with an affected Cisco device configured to accept Telnet connections. An exploit could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code and obtain full control of the device or cause a reload of the affected device. This affects Catalyst switches, Embedded Service 2020 switches, Enhanced Layer 2 EtherSwitch Service Module, Enhanced Layer 2/3 EtherSwitch Service Module, Gigabit Ethernet Switch Module (CGESM) for HP, IE Industrial Ethernet switches, ME 4924-10GE switch, RF Gateway 10, and SM-X Layer 2/3 EtherSwitch Service Module. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvd48893.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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