CVE-2017-16290
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_sun, at 0x9d01980c, the value for the `sunrise` 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 PubNub message handler for the 'cc' channel. In cmd s_sun, the value for the 'sunrise' key is copied using strcpy to a 100-byte buffer at stack offset without bounds checking, allowing overflow and arbitrary data overwrite via authenticated HTTP requests.
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 the device as an Insteon HubLocate the Insteon Hub device on your network. Access its admin interface or check device documentation to confirm it is an Insteon Hub model.Affected if The device is an Insteon Hub
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Check the firmware versionAccess the Insteon Hub admin interface (typically via web browser at the device's IP address) and navigate to the settings or system information page to view the firmware version. Alternatively, query the device's API if available.Affected if The firmware version is exactly 1012
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Verify PubNub cc channel is accessibleConfirm that the PubNub message handler for the cc channel is enabled and accessible on the device. This may require checking the device configuration or network exposure of the PubNub API endpoints.Affected if The PubNub cc channel is enabled and accessible on the network
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Confirm the s_sun command is exposedCheck if the s_sun command handler is accessible via authenticated HTTP requests to the device. This may involve reviewing API documentation or testing endpoint availability.Affected if The s_sun command can be invoked via authenticated HTTP requests
The environment is affected only if the device is an Insteon Hub running firmware version 1012 with the PubNub cc channel and s_sun command exposed to authenticated network users.
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 dataReplace unsafe strcpy with bounds-checked string functions (strncpy, snprintf) and validate input length before copying. Since firmware update may be required, implement network-level access controls to limit authenticated PubNub API exposure.
- Consultation8.0 h
- Implementation16.0 h
- Testing12.0 h
- Review / QA6.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-16290 — 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-2017-16290 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
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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