CVE-2017-16242
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAn issue was discovered on MECO USB Memory Stick with Fingerprint MECOZiolsamDE601 devices. The fingerprint authentication requirement for data access can be bypassed. An attacker with physical access can send a static packet to a serial port exposed on the PCB to unlock the key and get access to the data without possessing the required fingerprint.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceThe MECO USB fingerprint-protected storage device has a physical security bypass vulnerability. An attacker with physical access can send a static packet to an exposed serial debug port on the PCB to bypass the fingerprint authentication and unlock access to stored data without providing a valid fingerprint.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE dataall versionsCVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Physical
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify the device modelInspect the physical USB storage device for MECO branding and fingerprint scanner features. Locate any product labels or markings indicating the model number and firmware version.Affected if The device is a MECO USB Memory Stick With Fingerprint protection feature.
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Locate the serial debug portOpen the device casing or inspect the PCB for an exposed serial debug header (typically a 4-6 pin header with TX, RX, VCC, GND pins).Affected if An exposed serial debug port header is present on the device PCB.
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Check debug port accessibilityDetermine if the debug pins are physically accessible without special tools or if they are covered, removed, or protected in any way.Affected if The serial debug pins are exposed and easily accessible with standard equipment.
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Verify debug port protectionConnect to the debug port with a USB-to-serial adapter and attempt to communicate with the device. Check if authentication is required or if any static packet can trigger a response without credentials.Affected if The debug port responds to commands without requiring authentication or validation.
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Inspect firmware configurationIf firmware dump is possible, examine the firmware binary for weak or missing authentication routines related to the debug interface. Look for hardcoded credentials or validation bypass logic.Affected if Firmware lacks proper authentication validation for debug port commands.
You are affected if you own a MECO USB fingerprint-protected storage device with an exposed, unprotected serial debug port that accepts unauthenticated commands to bypass fingerprint authentication.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataDisable or password-protect the exposed serial debug port in firmware and implement proper authentication validation logic to prevent bypass attacks. Consider hardware redesign to remove or cover exposed debug interfaces.
- Consultation6.0 h
- Implementation16.0 h
- Testing8.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $9,600.
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-16242 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2017-16242 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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