External risk intelligence

H3C N12 Firmware Buffer Overflow Allows Command Execution

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8)

CVE-2024-57482

The vulnerability exists in a web-based management component (/bin/webs) of a network device. Such management interfaces are commonly exposed to the network to facilitate administration, making them a likely target for remote access in typical deployment scenarios.

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 details a critical buffer overflow vulnerability within H3C's N12 network devices, specifically impacting the 5G wireless network processing function. Exploitation, achieved through a crafted POST request, could allow unauthorized actors to remotely crash the device or execute arbitrary commands, posing a significant risk to network stability and security.

Network devices can crash or be controlled remotely.
Critical risk to network availability and integrity.
Confirm exposure; address where relevant.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted POST request to the device's web interface. This request targets a flaw in how the device processes 5G wireless network data, specifically within the `/bin/webs` component. Successfully triggering this flaw could allow an attacker to cause the device to crash or execute their own commands remotely.

No authentication needed to access.
Triggered via POST request to `/bin/webs`.
Leads to remote code execution or denial of service.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

A buffer overflow vulnerability in the 5G wireless network processing function could allow an attacker to cause a remote target device to crash or execute arbitrary commands. This could occur when an attacker sends a specially crafted POST request to the `/bin/webs` endpoint, as the system lacks sufficient length verification for incoming data.

Network device system integrity.
Sending a malicious POST request.
Device crashes or arbitrary command execution.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This vulnerability affects H3C N12 devices. Infrastructure or network operations teams are likely responsible for managing these devices. The first practical step is to identify all deployed N12 devices, confirm their network exposure, and then assess their business criticality to prioritize remediation.

Identify affected devices and ownership.
Verify network 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 networking device that provides 5G wireless connectivity. It functions as a gateway or router, managing data traffic for wireless networks. The affected firmware, version V100R005, includes a built-in web management interface, located at /bin/webs, which administrators use to configure and monitor the device's network operations.

What does CVE-2024-57482 mean for device security?

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-120, a Buffer Overflow. It occurs because the device's 5G processing function fails to check the length of incoming data. When a specifically crafted POST request exceeds the expected memory capacity, it overwrites adjacent memory, allowing an attacker to potentially crash the system or force it to run unauthorized commands.

How is this buffer overflow triggered?

An attacker triggers this vulnerability by sending a malicious POST request to the /bin/webs endpoint. The flaw specifically targets the handling of 5G wireless network data. It is important to note that the vulnerability does not require authentication; however, standard, non-malicious traffic or requests sent to other system endpoints will not trigger the buffer overflow.

Is my H3C N12 device at risk?

According to Halo Surface Signal, this device is at likely risk if its web management interface is reachable over the network. Because the vulnerability resides in the management component /bin/webs, any device with this interface exposed to the internet or wide internal networks is considered a primary target for remote exploitation.

What should I do if I manage H3C N12 hardware?

Begin by creating an inventory of all H3C N12 units in your environment to determine where they are deployed. Check if these devices have their web management interfaces exposed to untrusted networks. Once identified, evaluate the criticality of the services running on those devices to prioritize which ones require immediate isolation or configuration changes while awaiting further vendor guidance.

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.