CVE-2017-16305
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 sn_exw, at 0x9d01b20c, the value for the `id` key is copied using `strcpy` to the buffer at `$sp+0x290`.This buffer is 32 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 confidenceA stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the Insteon Hub firmware 1012 where the PubNub message handler for the 'cc' channel uses unsafe strcpy to copy the 'id' key value into a fixed 32-byte buffer at stack position $sp+0x290. Sending an authenticated HTTP request with an 'id' value exceeding 32 characters overwrites adjacent stack memory, allowing arbitrary code execution.
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.
-
Identify the device modelLocate your Insteon Hub device and confirm it is the Insteon Hub (model 2242-222) or similar Insteon Hub hardware. Check the device label or documentation for the model number.Affected if The device is not an Insteon Hub product.
-
Determine the firmware versionAccess the Insteon Hub web interface or mobile app and navigate to the settings or device information section to find the firmware version number. Alternatively, check the device documentation or Insteon app for version details.Affected if The firmware version is exactly 1012.
-
Check if remote access via PubNub is enabledIn the Insteon Hub settings, look for remote access, cloud connectivity, or PubNub integration settings. Verify whether the Hub is configured to communicate with PubNub for remote control.Affected if Remote PubNub access is enabled and the device is network-accessible.
-
Verify if the device is exposed to the networkDetermine if the Insteon Hub has a public IP address or is accessible from the internet. Check router port forwarding rules, firewall settings, or VPN configurations that might expose the Hub's web interface or API to untrusted networks.Affected if The device is directly accessible from the internet or an untrusted network.
You are affected if you have an Insteon Hub running firmware version 1012 with PubNub remote access enabled and network accessibility to the device.
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 the unbounded strcpy with bounds-checked alternatives like strncpy or explicit length validation before copying the 'id' parameter. The vendor should release a firmware update addressing this and similar buffer overflows in other commands.
- Consultation8.0 h
- Implementation16.0 h
- Testing12.0 h
- Review / QA6.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $11,776.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-16305 — 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-2017-16305 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
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
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.
- 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
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data