CVE-2017-3873: A vulnerability in the Plug-and-Play (PnP) subsystem of the Cisco Aironet 1800, 2800, and 3800 Series Access Points running a Lightweight Access Point...

Description

A vulnerability in the Plug-and-Play (PnP) subsystem of the Cisco Aironet 1800, 2800, and 3800 Series Access Points running a Lightweight Access Point (AP) or Mobility Express image could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of PnP server responses. The PnP feature is only active while the device does not contain a configuration, such as a first time boot or after a factory reset has been issued. An attacker with the ability to respond to PnP configuration requests from the affected device can exploit the vulnerability by returning malicious PnP responses. If a Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller - Enterprise Module (APIC-EM) is available on the network, the attacker would need to exploit the issue in the short window before a valid PnP response was received. If successful, the attacker could gain the ability to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying operating system of the device. Cisco has confirmed that the only vulnerable software version is 8.3.102.0. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvb42386.

Metrics

EPSS Probability

0.74%

50.0th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Cisco	Aironet Access Point Firmware	8.3_102.0

References

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/98296Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1038394
https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20170503-cmeVendor Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/98296Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1038394
https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20170503-cmeVendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: May 16, 2017
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2017-3873?

A vulnerability in the Plug-and-Play (PnP) subsystem of the Cisco Aironet 1800, 2800, and 3800 Series Access Points running a Lightweight Access Point (AP) or Mobility Express image could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of PnP server responses. The PnP feature is only active while the device does not contain a configuration, such as a first time boot or after a factory reset has been issued. An attacker with the ability to respond to PnP configuration requests from the affected device can exploit the vulnerability by returning malicious PnP responses. If a Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller - Enterprise Module (APIC-EM) is available on the network, the attacker would need to exploit the issue in the short window before a valid PnP response was received. If successful, the attacker could gain the ability to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying operating system of the device. Cisco has confirmed that the only vulnerable software version is 8.3.102.0. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvb42386.

How severe is CVE-2017-3873?

Severity scoring for CVE-2017-3873 is pending analysis. The EPSS model estimates a 0.74% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2017-3873?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.