CVE-2017-12238: Cisco Catalyst 6800 Series Switches VPLS Denial-of-Service Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) code of Cisco IOS 15.0 through 15.4 for Cisco Catalyst 6800 Series Switches could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause a C6800-16P10G or C6800-16P10G-XL type line card to crash, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability is due to a memory management issue in the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by creating a large number of VPLS-generated MAC entries in the MAC address table of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a C6800-16P10G or C6800-16P10G-XL type line card to crash, resulting in a DoS condition. This vulnerability affects Cisco Catalyst 6800 Series Switches that are running a vulnerable release of Cisco IOS Software and have a Cisco C6800-16P10G or C6800-16P10G-XL line card in use with Supervisor Engine 6T. To be vulnerable, the device must also be configured with VPLS and the C6800-16P10G or C6800-16P10G-XL line card needs to be the core-facing MPLS interfaces. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCva61927.
Other sources
A vulnerability in the Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) code of Cisco IOS for Cisco Catalyst 6800 Series Switches could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause a denial of service.
— CISA
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2017-12238?
CVE-2017-12238 is classified as a high severity vulnerability due to its potential to cause denial of service.
How do I fix CVE-2017-12238?
To fix CVE-2017-12238, upgrade affected Cisco IOS versions to a non-vulnerable release.
Which Cisco products are affected by CVE-2017-12238?
CVE-2017-12238 affects Cisco IOS versions 15.0 through 15.4 on the Catalyst 6800 Series Switches.
Can CVE-2017-12238 be exploited remotely?
CVE-2017-12238 cannot be exploited remotely as it requires adjacency to the target network.
What kind of attack can CVE-2017-12238 facilitate?
CVE-2017-12238 can facilitate a denial of service attack by causing the affected line card to crash.