CVE-2002-0540 in CVX 1800 Multi-Service Access Switch
Summary
by MITRE
Nortel CVX 1800 is installed with a default "public" community string, which allows remote attackers to read usernames and passwords and modify the CVX configuration.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/03/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0540 affects the Nortel CVX 1800 device, representing a critical security flaw in network management systems that existed during the early 2000s era of enterprise networking. This device operates within the context of SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) infrastructure, which serves as a fundamental protocol for monitoring and managing network devices. The vulnerability stems from the device's default configuration where it ships with a well-known and publicly documented community string set to "public" rather than implementing a strong, randomized authentication mechanism. This default setting violates fundamental security principles and creates an exploitable condition that allows unauthorized access to sensitive system information.
The technical flaw manifests through the insecure default SNMP community string configuration that enables remote attackers to establish unauthorized communication with the CVX 1800 device. The "public" community string provides read-only access to system information but can be exploited to escalate privileges and gain full administrative control. When an attacker discovers this default credential, they can perform SNMP queries to extract usernames and passwords stored within the device's configuration, effectively compromising the entire network management infrastructure. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-798, which addresses the use of hard-coded credentials, and CWE-259, covering the use of weak passwords or authentication mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple information disclosure, creating a significant risk to enterprise network security. Once an attacker gains access through the default community string, they can modify the CVX configuration to redirect network traffic, disable security features, or establish persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. The exposure of usernames and passwords provides attackers with additional credentials that can be used to compromise other network devices or systems within the same administrative domain. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078, which covers legitimate credentials usage, and T1046, covering network service scanning, as attackers would likely use these credentials to map network topology and identify additional targets. The compromised device becomes a potential pivot point for lateral movement throughout the network.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-0540 require immediate implementation of proper SNMP security configurations and comprehensive network access controls. Organizations should change the default community strings to strong, randomly generated values that follow established password complexity requirements and are regularly rotated. The implementation of SNMPv3 instead of SNMPv1 or SNMPv2c provides necessary authentication and encryption mechanisms that prevent the exploitation of weak community strings. Network segmentation and access control lists should be implemented to limit access to SNMP ports and services to authorized management stations only. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar default configurations across all network infrastructure devices. Additionally, implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous SNMP traffic patterns helps identify potential exploitation attempts and provides early warning of unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper initial device configuration and the necessity of following security best practices for network management systems as outlined in NIST SP 800-44 and ISO 27001 standards for information security management.