CVE-2017-16273: insteon hub_firmware Stack-based Buffer Overflow

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2017-16273 is a critical (CVSS 9.9) Stack-based Buffer Overflow vulnerability in insteon hub_firmware. EPSS estimates a 0.67% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 51.4% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 11-01-2023
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 09-04-2025
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

Multiple exploitable buffer overflow vulnerabilities exist in the PubNub message handler for the "cc" channel of Insteon Hub running firmware version 1012. Specially crafted commands sent through the PubNub service can cause a stack-based buffer overflow overwriting arbitrary data. An attacker should send an authenticated HTTP request to trigger this vulnerability. In cmd e_ml, at 0x9d016fa8, the value for the `grp` key is copied using `strcpy` to the buffer at `$sp+0x1b4`.This buffer is 8 bytes large, sending anything longer will cause a buffer overflow.

• CWE-121Stack-based Buffer OverflowA stack-based buffer overflow condition is a condition where the buffer being overwritten is allocated on the stack (i.e., is a local variable or, rarely, a parameter to a function).
• CWE-787Out-of-bounds WriteThe product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.