CVE-2002-1934 in xpressa
Summary
by MITRE
Pingtel xpressa SIP-based voice-over-IP phone 1.2.5 through 2.0.1 leaks sensitive information during boot-up, which allows attackers to obtain the MD5 hash of the Admin password, MD5 hash of the physical password, and other registration information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1934 affects Pingtel xpressa SIP-based voice-over-IP phones running versions 1.2.5 through 2.0.1, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that exposes sensitive authentication data during the device's boot-up process. This vulnerability falls under the category of improper information handling and can be categorized as CWE-200 - Information Exposure, which is a fundamental weakness in software design that allows unauthorized parties to gain access to sensitive information. The flaw specifically manifests during the device initialization phase when the system inadvertently reveals authentication credentials and registration details to any network observer with minimal technical expertise. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in telephony environments where voice-over-IP systems serve as critical communication infrastructure for enterprise and industrial networks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate security controls during the boot sequence of the Pingtel xpressa device, where sensitive information is transmitted in plaintext or with insufficient encryption mechanisms. Attackers can capture network traffic during the initial boot process and extract the MD5 hash of the administrator password, which represents a significant security risk as MD5 hashes are vulnerable to rainbow table attacks and can be cracked using readily available computational resources. Additionally, the device leaks the MD5 hash of the physical password, which typically serves as a secondary authentication mechanism for physical access to the device, and other registration information that may include device identifiers, network configuration parameters, and potentially user account details. This exposure occurs without proper access controls or authentication checks during the early boot stages, creating a window of opportunity for attackers to gather intelligence before the device fully initializes its security mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with comprehensive information that can be leveraged for further exploitation within the network infrastructure. The leaked MD5 hashes of administrator credentials can be used for privilege escalation attacks, potentially allowing unauthorized users to gain full administrative control over the voice-over-IP system and subsequently the entire network segment where the device resides. The physical password hash exposure creates additional attack vectors for physical security breaches, while the registration information leakage may reveal network topology details that could be used for advanced persistent threat campaigns. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001 - Unsecured Credentials, where adversaries extract credentials from system files or network traffic to establish unauthorized access. The timing of the information disclosure during boot-up makes this particularly dangerous as it occurs before the device can implement its normal security protocols, creating a persistent window of vulnerability that can be exploited repeatedly.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of firmware updates from Pingtel to address the information disclosure during boot processes. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of voice-over-IP devices to untrusted network segments, while ensuring that network traffic containing sensitive information is properly encrypted using protocols such as TLS or DTLS. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect and alert on unusual traffic patterns during device boot processes, and regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other network infrastructure components. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing secure boot processes and proper information handling during system initialization, which aligns with security standards such as those outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO/IEC 27001 information security management requirements. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network access control lists and firewall rules that restrict access to voice-over-IP devices during their vulnerable boot periods, and establish incident response procedures to quickly address any exploitation attempts that may occur as a result of this vulnerability.