CVE-2002-0214 in PRO Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device Driver
Summary
by MITRE
Compaq Intel PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device Driver 1.5.16.0 through 1.5.18.0 stores the 128-bit WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) key in plaintext in a registry key with weak permissions, which allows local users to decrypt network traffic by reading the WEP key from the registry key.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-0214 represents a critical security flaw in the Compaq Intel PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN USB Device Driver versions 1.5.16.0 through 1.5.18.0. This issue stems from improper handling of wireless network security credentials within the Windows operating system registry, creating a significant attack surface for local adversaries who can exploit weak permission settings to gain unauthorized access to encrypted network communications. The vulnerability specifically affects wireless network configurations that rely on Wired Equivalent Privacy protocols, which were commonly deployed in enterprise and home networking environments during the early 2000s.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the driver storing the 128-bit WEP key in plaintext format within the Windows registry database, with insufficient access controls configured on the registry key entry. This design decision directly violates fundamental security principles of credential storage, as it exposes sensitive cryptographic material to unauthorized system users who possess basic local access privileges. The registry key permissions are configured to allow read access to users who should not have such privileges, creating an implicit trust model that fails to enforce proper access controls. The weakness manifests when local users execute simple registry queries or direct file system access operations to retrieve the stored key, bypassing the intended security mechanisms that should protect wireless network authentication credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables active network decryption capabilities for attackers who gain local system access. Once an attacker retrieves the WEP key from the registry, they can decrypt all wireless traffic transmitted over the network, potentially accessing sensitive data including login credentials, financial information, and proprietary communications. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where wireless networks are configured with WEP encryption, which despite being deprecated and inherently insecure, was widely deployed in enterprise environments during the early 2000s. The impact is amplified when considering that WEP keys, even when properly configured, are vulnerable to cryptographic attacks that can be accelerated by having access to the key material through this registry exposure.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and represents a classic example of poor privilege management in security-critical system components. From an adversarial perspective, this flaw maps directly to ATT&CK technique T1003.002 (OS Credential Dumping: Security Account Manager) and T1041 (Exfiltration Over C2 Channel) as attackers can leverage local access to extract credentials and then use those credentials for network reconnaissance and data exfiltration. The attack vector requires only local system access, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where system administrators may not properly isolate user accounts or implement adequate access controls. Organizations using these specific driver versions face significant risk of data compromise when local users have elevated privileges or when privilege escalation attacks succeed.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate driver version updates to patched releases that properly implement registry key permissions and cryptographic key storage mechanisms. System administrators should implement registry access control lists that restrict read access to the specific registry keys containing wireless credentials, ensuring that only authorized system processes can access these sensitive materials. Additionally, organizations should transition away from WEP encryption protocols to more secure alternatives such as WPA2 or WPA3, which provide stronger cryptographic protection and better key management practices. The implementation of proper access control mechanisms and regular security audits of system configurations can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced into network infrastructure components. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect unusual traffic patterns or unauthorized access attempts that might indicate exploitation of such credential storage vulnerabilities.