CVE-2002-1629 in Proxyserver
Summary
by MITRE
Multi-Tech ProxyServer products MTPSR1-100, MTPSR1-120, MTPSR1-202ST, MTPSR2-201, and MTPSR3-200 ship with a null password, which allows remote attackers to gain administrative privileges via Telnet or HTTP.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1629 affects multiple Multi-Tech ProxyServer products including models MTPSR1-100, MTPSR1-120, MTPSR1-202ST, MTPSR2-201, and MTPSR3-200. This represents a critical security flaw where the devices ship with a null password configuration, creating an inherent backdoor that allows unauthorized remote access to administrative functions. The vulnerability stems from poor default configuration practices during the manufacturing and deployment phases of these network security appliances.
The technical flaw manifests through the absence of authentication requirements for administrative access to these proxy servers. When devices are shipped with null passwords, any remote attacker who can establish a connection via Telnet or HTTP protocols can immediately gain full administrative privileges without requiring any authentication credentials. This configuration bypasses all normal authentication mechanisms and creates a permanent entry point for malicious actors. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-259 as a "Use of Hard-coded Password" and represents a fundamental failure in secure configuration management practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations utilizing these Multi-Tech ProxyServer devices. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to gain complete control over the network proxy infrastructure, potentially leading to man-in-the-middle attacks, data interception, network redirection, and complete compromise of the protected network segments. The vulnerability affects not only the immediate device but can serve as a foothold for broader network infiltration, as these proxy servers often act as gateways between internal networks and external internet access. The lack of authentication requirements means that attackers can perform administrative tasks such as modifying firewall rules, changing network configurations, accessing logs, and potentially redirecting traffic through the compromised device.
Organizations should immediately address this vulnerability by implementing mandatory password changes on all affected devices, ensuring that default administrative credentials are changed during initial deployment. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enhanced to limit access to these critical devices to authorized personnel only. The implementation of secure configuration management practices should be enforced, including regular audits of device configurations and the deployment of network monitoring tools to detect unauthorized access attempts. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following security best practices outlined in frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001, which emphasize the need for secure default configurations and proper access control mechanisms. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1078 for Valid Accounts and T1046 for Network Service Scanning, as attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access and conduct reconnaissance activities within the network environment.