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Full vulnerability report · 2017
CVE-2017-3854High confidence

A vulnerability in the mesh code of Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to impersonate a WLC in a meshed topology

n/a · Cisco Meshed Wireless LAN Controller

8.8HighCVSS 3.1
Recommended action
Within 7 days

High technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.

Fix not verified
Optional official sources

National CERT insights
?CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.

Select the national-authority views to include. The exact source language is shown on each matched advisory. Your choice is remembered on this device and encoded in the shareable URL.

Official European source

ENISA European Vulnerability Database

Official EUVD identifiers, advisory evidence and known-exploited context. Missing fields are not treated as evidence of low risk.

1 current
ENISA EUVD identifier

EUVD-2017-12971

No EUVD known-exploited evidence

ENISA has published the identifier mapping but no EUVD description has been stored yet.

EUVD state
Present in the current official mapping
Known exploitation
Not present in the current ENISA EUVD known-exploited dataset. This is not proof of no exploitation.
ENISA score
Not supplied in the stored EUVD record
Advisory evidence
No linked advisory details stored yet
Recommended actionWithin 7 days

High technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.

Fix not verified
01

What, why and how

A vulnerability in the mesh code of Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to impersonate a WLC in a meshed topology. The vulnerability is due to insufficient authentication of the parent access point in a mesh configuration. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by forcing the target system to disconnect from the correct parent access point and reconnect to a rogue access point owned by the attacker. An exploit could allow the attacker to control the traffic flowing through the impacted access point or take full control of the target system. This vulnerability affects the following products running a vulnerable version of Wireless LAN Controller software and configured for meshed mode: Cisco 8500 Series Wireless Controller, Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controller, Cisco 2500 Series Wireless Controller, Cisco Flex 7500 Series Wireless Controller, Cisco Virtual Wireless Controller, Wireless Services Module 2 (WiSM2). Note that additional configuration is needed in addition to upgrading to a fixed release. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCuc98992 CSCuu14804.

What

A vulnerability in the mesh code of Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to impersonate a WLC in a meshed topology. The vulnerability is due to insufficient authentication of the parent access point in a mesh configuration. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by forcing the target system to disconnect from the correct parent access point and reconnect to a rogue access point owned by the attacker. An exploit could allow the attacker to control the traffic flowing through the impacted access point or take full control of the target system. This vulnerability affects the following products running a vulnerable version of Wireless LAN Controller software and configured for meshed mode: Cisco 8500 Series Wireless Controller, Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controller, Cisco 2500 Series Wireless Controller, Cisco Flex 7500 Series Wireless Controller, Cisco Virtual Wireless Controller, Wireless Services Module 2 (WiSM2). Note that additional configuration is needed in addition to upgrading to a fixed release. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCuc98992 CSCuu14804.

Why

The affected component does not establish the requesting party's identity reliably before granting access.

How

An attacker operating through the affected interface may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

What

A vulnerability in the mesh code of Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to impersonate a WLC in a meshed topology. The vulnerability is due to insufficient authentication of the parent access point in a mesh configuration. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by forcing the target system to disconnect from the correct parent access point and reconnect to a rogue access point owned by the attacker. An exploit could allow the attacker to control the traffic flowing through the impacted access point or take full control of the target system. This vulnerability affects the following products running a vulnerable version of Wireless LAN Controller software and configured for meshed mode: Cisco 8500 Series Wireless Controller, Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controller, Cisco 2500 Series Wireless Controller, Cisco Flex 7500 Series Wireless Controller, Cisco Virtual Wireless Controller, Wireless Services Module 2 (WiSM2). Note that additional configuration is needed in addition to upgrading to a fixed release. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCuc98992 CSCuu14804.

Why

The affected component does not establish the requesting party's identity reliably before granting access.

How

An attacker operating through the affected interface may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

02

Exploit reality and attack path

CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.

Observed exploitation
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
No confirmed evidence

No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.

Public PoC / exploit material
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
None recorded

No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.

Likely attack path
the affected interface → Improper Authentication → cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor
Attack surface
Unspecified
Privileges required
None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary
Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
Weakness
?CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.
CWE-287 ↗

CWE-287: Improper Authentication. When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.

CVSS vector
?CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Common Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.

AVAdjacentAttack vector: The attacker must be on an adjacent or logically close network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.AHighAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.
Post-exploitation / living off the land
No specific living-off-the-land technique is confirmed in the structured sources. Monitor normal administration tools for activity inconsistent with the affected service's baseline.
UnauthenticatedCWE-287
A

Official authority intelligence

Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.

Canadian Centre for Cyber Security · English · AV17-034Cisco Releases security updates

Cisco released multiple security updates to address vulnerabilities (critical to medium) in the following products. Apache Struts2 Jakarta Multipart Parser File Upload Code Execution Vulnerability Affecting Cisco Products Cisco Web Security Appliance URL Filtering Bypass Vulnerability Cisco WebEx Meetings Server XML External Entity Vulnerability Cisco Meshed Wireless LAN Controller Impersonation Vulnerability Cisco WebEx Meetings Server Authentication Bypass Vulnerability Cisco UCS Director Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability Cisco Unified Communications Manager Cross-Site Request Forgery Vulnerability Cisco Unified Communications Manager Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability Cisco Unified Communications Manager Web Interface Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability Cisco TelePresence Server API Privilege Vulnerability Cisco Workload Automation and Tidal Enterprise Scheduler Client Manager Server Arbitrary File Read Vulnerability Cisco Prime Service Catalog Multiple Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerabilities Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches Remote Login Denial of Service Vulnerability Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches Telnet Login Denial of Service Vulnerability Cisco Prime Optical for Service Providers RADIUS Secret Disclosure Vulnerability Cisco Prime Infrastructure API Credentials Management Vulnerability Cisco Nexus 7000 Series Switches Access-Control Filtering Mechanisms Bypass Vulnerability Cisco StarOS SSH Privilege Escalation Vulnerability Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance BGP Bidirectional Forwarding Detection ACL Bypass Vulnerability Cisco Mobility Express 1800 Access Point Series Authentication Bypass Vulnerability CVE References: Critical: CVE-2017-3831, CVE-2017-5638 High: CVE-2017-3846, CVE-2017-3854 Medium:  CVE-2017-3811, CVE-2017-3815, CVE-2017-3819, CVE-2017-3866, CVE-2017-3867, CVE-2017-3868, CVE-2017-3869, CVE-2017-3870, CVE-2017-3871, CVE-2017-3872, CVE-2017-3874, CVE-2017-3875, CVE-2017-3877, CVE-2017-3878, CVE-2017-3879, CVE-2017-3880

Official advisory ↗
CERT-FR · French · CERTFR-2017-AVI-084Multiples vulnérabilités dans les produits Cisco

De multiples vulnérabilités ont été corrigées dans les produits Cisco . Elles permettent à un attaquant de provoquer un contournement de la politique de sécurité, une atteinte à la confidentialité des données et une élévation de privilèges.

Official advisory ↗
JVN iPedia · Japanese · JVNDB-2017-002741Cisco Wireless LAN Controller ソフトウェアのメッシュコードにおける認証に関する脆弱性

Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) ソフトウェアのメッシュコードには、認証に関する脆弱性が存在します。 ベンダは、本脆弱性を Bug ID CSCuc98992 および CSCuu14804 として公開しています。

Official advisory ↗
KISA KrCERT/CC · Korean · KNVD-4783Cisco 제품군 취약점 보안 업데이트 권고

Cisco WLC(Wireless LAN Controller)의 mesh code에서 발생하는 인증 우회 취약점(CVE-2017-3854) [26]

Official advisory ↗
03

Patch and workaround

Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.

Status
?Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change.
Fix not verified
Affected
Cisco Meshed Wireless LAN Controller: Cisco Meshed Wireless LAN Controller
Fixed
No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
Action
No verified patch reference is present in the current structured sources. Check the vendor advisory before making a change.
Workaround
No verified workaround is recorded. Limit untrusted access and use least privilege until authoritative guidance is available.
04

Evidence and provenance

Published 15 Mar 2017 · Last source change 5 Aug 2024, 14:39 UTC · CWE-287 · Improper Authentication

CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceNIST NVD
EPSS source
?The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.
FIRST · tracked since 2026-09-01
European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2017-12971
Product sourceCNA
Remediation sourceCVE/CNA references
CWE sourceNIST NVD
NVD statusNVD modified after enrichment

Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.

Material change intelligence

What changed after publication

View recent updates ↗
  1. Vendor guidanceAuthoritative vendor guidance changed from no authoritative guidance recorded to vendor advisory.
    Before
    no authoritative guidance recorded
    After
    vendor advisory
    af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 ↗
  2. SeveritySeverity changed from Unknown to High.
    Before
    Unknown
    After
    High
    NIST NVD ↗
  3. CVSS scoreCVSS score changed from not recorded to 8.8 (CVSS 3.1 · NIST NVD · CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
    Before
    not recorded
    After
    8.8 (CVSS 3.1 · NIST NVD · CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H)
    NIST NVD ↗
  4. ENISA EUVD mappingEUVD-2017-12971 was added to the official ENISA EUVD mapping for this CVE.
    Before
    not recorded
    After
    {"euvdId":"EUVD-2017-12971"}
    ENISA EUVD ↗
  5. Catalogue recordCVE added to the BlackTree catalogue.
    CNA ↗
Material fields only · duplicate refreshes suppressed · history retained for the configured operational retention period
CVE published
ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2017-12971↗Vendor advisory↗CVE authority or vendor reference↗Official CVE record (CNA and ADP data)↗NVD record↗
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
CVE
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
CVSS
Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
EPSS
Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
CWE
Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
CNA
CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
CISA ADP
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
NVD
National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
CERT / CSIRT
A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
PoC
Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
CSAF
Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
LoTL
Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.
Free version - for non-commercial use only.CVE-2017-3854 · cve.blacktree.nl