External risk intelligence

H3C N12 Wireless Function Buffer Overflow Leads to Crash or Command Execution.

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8)

CVE-2024-57471

The vulnerability exists in a web-based management interface (/bin/webs) of a network device. Such devices and their management interfaces are frequently deployed as internet-facing or edge-accessible components to facilitate remote administration, making them commonly reachable from the public internet.

Buffer Overflow

H3c N12 Firmware

100r005

Halo Surface Signal: 4 out of 5 — likely to be public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

This advisory concerns a critical vulnerability in H3C N12 network devices. A buffer overflow flaw exists in the wireless network processing function, allowing unauthenticated attackers to potentially crash devices or execute arbitrary commands remotely by sending specially crafted requests. The main concern is confirming relevance and exposure, as the device's web management interface could be accessible externally.

Flaw lets unauthenticated attackers control network devices.
Devices can be remotely crashed or commanded.
Confirm if our network devices are impacted.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted POST request to the `/bin/webs` endpoint of a vulnerable device. This request, which lacks proper length verification in its 2.4G wireless network processing function, could trigger a buffer overflow. Successful exploitation might allow an attacker to remotely crash the target device or execute arbitrary commands.

No authentication or user interaction required.
Triggered by sending a POST request to `/bin/webs`.
Risk of device crash or arbitrary command execution.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

A buffer overflow vulnerability in the 2.4G wireless network processing function could allow an unauthenticated attacker to crash the device or execute arbitrary commands by sending a specially crafted POST request. This could affect the overall availability and integrity of the network device.

Network device services and data.
Sending malicious POST requests.
Device crashes or arbitrary command execution.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

The affected H3C N12 devices, likely managed by network or infrastructure teams, present a critical risk due to a buffer overflow vulnerability exploitable via a POST request to `/bin/webs`. The initial step for system owners is to identify all instances of this device, ascertain its network exposure and business criticality, and locate the responsible asset owner to plan remediation.

Network and infrastructure teams own remediation.
Verify device exposure and business criticality first.
Plan coordinated updates or implement temporary mitigations.

Supplementary metadata

CVSS vector

Validate whether this threat affects your internet-facing exposure.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the H3C N12 device?

The H3C N12 is a networking device that manages wireless connectivity. It uses specific firmware, version V100R005, to handle network traffic and administrative tasks through a built-in web management interface.

What does CWE-120 mean for CVE-2024-57471?

CWE-120 refers to a buffer overflow weakness. In this CVE, the device fails to check the size of incoming data during 2.4G wireless processing. If a request is too large, it can overwrite adjacent memory, which might cause the system to stop functioning or allow an unauthorized person to run their own commands.

How is this H3C N12 vulnerability triggered?

An attacker triggers this by sending a specially crafted POST request to the /bin/webs endpoint on the device. Simply browsing the device's main page or using standard, non-malicious network features will not trigger this flaw.

Why should I care about CVE-2024-57471?

Halo Surface Signal indicates this is a critical concern because the vulnerable /bin/webs interface is often exposed to the public internet for remote management. Because the flaw requires no authentication, anyone who can reach the device over the network can attempt to exploit it.

What should I do if I have H3C N12 devices?

First, locate all N12 devices in your environment and determine if they are accessible from the internet. Once you have identified the impacted hardware, coordinate with your infrastructure team to verify the device's business criticality and prepare for necessary firmware updates or mitigation steps.

Written by Nicholas Merritt

Nicholas Merritt is VP of Security Solutions at Halo Security. With more than 25 years across application security, vulnerability prioritization, and offensive security, he helps teams translate threat data into practical exposure validation and remediation focus. He authors Halo Threat Intelligence CVE advisories using Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context to prioritize internet-facing risk.