CVE-2002-1047 in SOHO Firewall
Summary
by MITRE
The FTP service in Watchguard Soho Firewall 5.0.35a allows remote attackers to gain privileges with a correct password but an incorrect user name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1047 represents a critical authentication flaw within the FTP service implementation of Watchguard Soho Firewall version 5.0.35a. This issue stems from improper handling of user credentials during the authentication process, creating a scenario where attackers can exploit the system's validation logic to escalate privileges. The flaw specifically manifests when a legitimate password is provided alongside an invalid username, allowing unauthorized access to the system. This vulnerability directly violates fundamental security principles by enabling privilege escalation through flawed credential validation mechanisms. The issue falls under the category of authentication bypass vulnerabilities that can be categorized as CWE-287, which addresses authentication failures in software applications. From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risk to network security infrastructure as it allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to firewall management interfaces, potentially leading to complete network compromise. The Watchguard Soho Firewall serves as a critical network security device, and compromising its FTP service creates a gateway for attackers to manipulate firewall rules, monitor network traffic, and potentially establish persistent access points within the network. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to perform administrative functions through the compromised FTP service. This flaw can be exploited using techniques aligned with ATT&CK tactic T1110, specifically targeting credential access through password guessing and authentication bypass methods. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal prerequisites since it leverages legitimate authentication protocols but abuses the system's tolerance for incorrect username entries. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability exists in legacy systems and represents a common pattern of insecure authentication design where systems fail to properly validate user accounts before granting access. The issue demonstrates a classic case of inadequate input validation and authentication flow control, where the system does not adequately distinguish between valid and invalid user accounts during the authentication process. Organizations using this specific firewall version should prioritize immediate remediation through firmware updates provided by Watchguard, as the vulnerability cannot be effectively mitigated through configuration changes alone. The flaw also highlights the importance of proper privilege separation and the need for robust authentication mechanisms that do not allow privilege escalation through simple credential manipulation techniques. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability would likely violate security standards such as those outlined in iso/iec 27001 and nist cybersecurity framework, particularly concerning access control and authentication management. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions of the Soho Firewall software indicates a systemic design flaw that requires comprehensive security review and remediation across all affected systems. Network administrators should implement additional monitoring and logging of FTP authentication attempts to detect potential exploitation attempts, while also ensuring that FTP services are disabled when not required for legitimate business operations.