CVE-2017-16289
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 · uneditedMultiple 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 s_utc, at 0x9d0193ac, the value for the `offset` key is copied using `strcpy` to the buffer at `$sp+0x2d0`.This buffer is 100 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 confidenceStack-based buffer overflow in Insteon Hub firmware 1012's PubNub message handler for the 'cc' channel. The 'offset' parameter in the 's_utc' command is copied using unbounded strcpy() to a 100-byte stack buffer at $sp+0x2d0, allowing overflow when input exceeds buffer size. Triggered via authenticated HTTP requests through PubNub service.
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= 1012CVSS 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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify Insteon Hub device on networkLocate Insteon Hub devices by checking network inventory or looking for devices with Insteon Hub MAC/vendor identifiersAffected if Device is an Insteon Hub
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Check firmware version equals 1012Access the Insteon Hub admin interface or use the device's API to query the firmware version. The vulnerability affects only firmware version 1012 exactly.Affected if Firmware version is 1012 (exact match)
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Verify PubNub integration is enabledCheck the Insteon Hub configuration for PubNub settings. The vulnerability exists in the PubNub message handler for the 'cc' channel, so PubNub must be configured for the flaw to be exploitable.Affected if PubNub is configured and enabled on the device
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Assess network exposure and authentication scopeReview whether the PubNub-enabled Insteon Hub is accessible from networks where attackers could obtain valid credentials, since exploitation requires authenticated access through the PubNub service.Affected if Device with PubNub is accessible from untrusted networks or has weak credential controls
The environment is affected only if an Insteon Hub with firmware version 1012 has PubNub enabled and is accessible to an attacker who can obtain valid PubNub authentication credentials.
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 dataUpdate to patched firmware from Insteon if available; otherwise isolate the device on a restricted network segment to limit attack surface, as the vulnerability requires authenticated access but allows arbitrary code execution.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-16289 — 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-2017-16289 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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