CVE-2017-12233
Cisco IOS Software Common Industrial Protocol Request Denial-of-Service Vulnerability
Cisco IOS software
Multiple vulnerabilities in the implementation of the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) feature in Cisco IOS 12.4 through 15.6 could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause an affected device to reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerabilities are due to the improper parsing of crafted CIP packets destined to an affected device. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by sending crafted CIP packets to be processed by an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the affected device to reload, resulting in a DoS condition. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCuz95334.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 3 March 2022. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 24 March 2022.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 7.1%, which is higher than 94.1% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2017-12233 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2017-12233.
What does CVE-2017-12233 affect?
CVE-2017-12233 affects Cisco IOS software. Multiple vulnerabilities in the implementation of the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) feature in Cisco IOS 12.4 through 15.6 could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause an affected device to reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerabilities are due to the improper parsing of crafted CIP packets destined to an affected device. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by sending crafted CIP packets to be processed by an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the affected device to reload, resulting in a DoS condition. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCuz95334.
How severe is CVE-2017-12233?
CVE-2017-12233 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.5. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 7.1%, higher than 94.1% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 24 March 2022.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2017-12233?
Apply the vendor patch for Cisco IOS software as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.