External risk intelligence

H3C N12 Buffer Overflow Leads to Device Crash or Command Execution

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8)

CVE-2024-57479

The vulnerability resides in a web-based service component (/bin/webs) of a network device, which is designed to be accessible via network requests. As an internet-facing gateway or network appliance component, it is commonly exposed to the network to facilitate remote management or configuration, making it a highly likely target for public-facing internet exposure.

Buffer Overflow

H3c N12 Firmware

100r005

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

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

A critical vulnerability has been identified in H3C N12 devices, stemming from an issue in how network addresses are updated. If exploited, this flaw could allow unauthorized individuals to disrupt device operations or potentially execute commands remotely. The primary concern is to ascertain if our network infrastructure utilizes these specific devices and is therefore potentially exposed.

Flaw in network address handling may cause device disruption.
Key issue: potential for remote disruption or command execution.
Confirm relevance and exposure of affected network devices.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker could reach this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted POST request to the device's web interface. This request, targeting the `mac address update function`, lacks proper length verification, allowing an attacker to overflow a buffer. If successful, this could lead to the device crashing or even executing arbitrary commands.

Accessible via network requests.
Triggered by a POST request to update MAC address.
Leads to device crash or command execution.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

A buffer overflow vulnerability in the MAC address update function of H3C N12 firmware could allow an unauthenticated attacker to crash the remote device or execute arbitrary commands by sending a crafted POST request. This could impact the availability and integrity of the network device.

Network device availability and integrity.
Sending a crafted POST request.
Remote device crash or command execution.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This vulnerability affects H3C N12 devices running firmware version 100R005. Given the network-accessible nature of the vulnerable web service, the primary teams to engage would be network and security operations, as well as infrastructure or platform teams responsible for managing network appliances. The immediate first step is to confirm the presence and accessibility of these devices within the environment, assess their business criticality, and identify the accountable owner before planning remediation.

Network/Security team ownership.
Verify device exposure and criticality.
Plan remediation based on risk.

Supplementary metadata

CVSS vector

Validate whether this threat affects your internet-facing exposure.

Halo Threat Intelligence helps prioritize remediation with Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context. Start exposure validation with a free external attack surface trial.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the H3C N12 device?

The H3C N12 is a network appliance or gateway device. It acts as a foundational component in network infrastructure, often managing traffic and connectivity. The specific vulnerability exists within its firmware, version 100R005, which controls how the device processes internal configuration tasks.

What does CWE-120 mean for CVE-2024-57479?

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-120, a Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input. In simpler terms, the device's software fails to verify the length of data provided during a MAC address update. Because the system does not check if the incoming data exceeds the allocated storage space, it can overwrite adjacent memory, leading to a system crash or unauthorized command execution.

How is this vulnerability triggered?

An attacker triggers this flaw by sending a specifically crafted POST request to the device's web interface, specifically targeting the MAC address update function. It is important to note that typical, legitimate network traffic or standard management requests that adhere to expected size limits will not trigger this memory overflow.

Is my device at risk?

According to Halo Surface Signal, this vulnerability is highly likely to be reachable if your device is internet-facing. Because the flaw resides in the /bin/webs component, which handles web-based service requests, any H3C N12 device exposed to the public internet or an untrusted network is at increased risk of being targeted by remote actors.

What should I do if I use this product?

First, verify if you are running the affected firmware version 100R005 on your H3C N12 hardware. Locate the device owners within your infrastructure team to assess its business criticality. Prioritize checking if the device interface is accessible from the internet and limit such access until you can plan and implement the necessary firmware remediation.

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.