CVE-2017-16306
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 0x9d01b2ac, the value for the `flg` key is copied using `strcpy` to the buffer at `$sp+0x280`.This buffer is 16 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. In the 'cmd sn_exw' function, the value for the 'flg' key is copied using unsafe strcpy to a 16-byte buffer at stack pointer offset 0x280, allowing overflow with payloads exceeding 16 bytes.
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 modelCheck if the target device is an Insteon Hub. This is typically an Insteon Hub smart home controller device, model number may be visible on the device label or in the device's web interface.Affected if The device is an Insteon Hub controller.
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Determine firmware versionAccess the Insteon Hub's web interface or API and retrieve the firmware version. The exact method varies by Hub model but is usually visible in settings or available via a status API endpoint. Compare the installed version to the affected range.Affected if The installed firmware version is exactly 1012.
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Verify PubNub integration is enabledCheck if the Insteon Hub has PubNub cloud messaging enabled. This is typically configured through the Insteon app or Hub settings where cloud services are linked. Look for PubNub or cloud messaging configuration.Affected if PubNub cloud messaging is enabled and configured on the Hub.
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Check network exposure of the PubNub interfaceDetermine if the Hub's network interface is accessible to untrusted networks. The vulnerability is triggered via PubNub messages which require network access to the Hub's cloud-connected service.Affected if The Hub is reachable over the network and PubNub messages can be sent to it.
You are affected if you have an Insteon Hub running exactly firmware version 1012 with PubNub messaging enabled and network accessibility to trigger the vulnerability.
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 strcpy with bounds-checked functions (strncpy, snprintf) and add input length validation before copying to fixed-size buffers. Since this requires authenticated HTTP requests, also review authentication token handling to limit attack surface.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing8.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-16306 — 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-2017-16306 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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