Hub FirmwareOperating system · Insteon

CVE-2017-16274

CRITICAL · 9.9 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-01-11
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable Zero-click

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 · unedited
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_u, at 0x9d017364, 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.

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 · high confidence

Stack-based buffer overflow in Insteon Hub firmware 1012's PubNub message handler for the 'cc' channel. The 'grp' key value from PubNub commands is copied using unsafe strcpy into an 8-byte buffer at stack position $sp+0x1b4, allowing overflow and potential arbitrary code execution by authenticated attackers.

MitigationUpdate Insteon Hub to patched firmware if available; otherwise segment the device network and restrict PubNub API access to trusted sources only.

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 data
Hub FirmwareOperating system
Affected:= 1012

CVSS 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
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify the device model
    Confirm the device is an Insteon Hub by checking the device label, web interface, or documentation
    Affected if The device is not an Insteon Hub, this CVE does not apply
  2. Check the firmware version
    Access the Insteon Hub web interface (typically at 192.168.1.x or via the Insteon app) and navigate to Settings or About to view the firmware version. The affected version is exactly 1012.
    Affected if Firmware version is 1012 - this is the vulnerable version
  3. Verify PubNub is enabled
    Check the Insteon Hub settings for PubNub API configuration. Look for PubNub subscription keys, channel configuration, or remote access settings in the hub's web interface or mobile app.
    Affected if PubNub is enabled and configured - the vulnerability exists in the PubNub message handler
  4. Confirm the cc channel is accessible
    Examine the PubNub channel configuration to verify the 'cc' channel is active. This is the specific channel that contains the vulnerable message handler.
    Affected if The cc channel is configured and active in PubNub settings
  5. Check network exposure to PubNub
    Review network firewall rules and hub access settings to determine if the PubNub API is reachable from untrusted networks or the internet.
    Affected if The PubNub API is accessible from outside the local network or from untrusted sources

The device is affected if it is an Insteon Hub running firmware version 1012 with PubNub enabled and the cc channel accessible.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update Insteon Hub to patched firmware if available; otherwise segment the device network and restrict PubNub API access to trusted sources only.

Fix this in Hub Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation16.0 h
  • Testing12.0 h
  • Review / QA6.0 h
38.0 hours of engineering $6,560
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2017-16274 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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