CVE-2003-0137 in SGSN DX200
Summary
by MITRE
SNMP daemon in the DX200 based network element for Nokia Serving GPRS support node (SGSN) allows remote attackers to read SNMP options via arbitrary community strings.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-0137 affects the SNMP daemon implementation within the DX200 based network element of Nokia's Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) architecture. This represents a critical security flaw in telecommunications infrastructure that operates within the broader context of 3G mobile network operations. The SGSN serves as a crucial component in the GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) network architecture, managing packet data sessions and acting as an interface between the mobile network and external packet data networks. The DX200 platform specifically houses the software and hardware components responsible for executing these network functions while maintaining communication with other network elements through standard protocols including SNMP for monitoring and management purposes.
The technical flaw stems from an improper implementation of SNMP community string validation within the daemon process. Typically, SNMP operations require valid community strings to authenticate and authorize access to network management information. However, in this vulnerable implementation, the daemon accepts any arbitrary community string without proper verification, effectively disabling the authentication mechanism that should protect sensitive network configuration and operational data. This weakness exists at the protocol level where the SNMP daemon fails to enforce proper access controls, allowing any remote attacker who knows the target device's IP address to establish an SNMP session and retrieve potentially sensitive network parameters, configuration details, and operational statistics.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks against the affected network infrastructure. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to gather detailed information about the network topology, device configurations, and operational parameters that could be used for further exploitation attempts. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations operating Nokia SGSN equipment in their 3G networks, potentially compromising the confidentiality and integrity of critical network management data. This weakness could enable attackers to map network structures, identify vulnerable components, and potentially facilitate more advanced attacks such as man-in-the-middle operations or unauthorized configuration changes that could disrupt network services or compromise user data transmission.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of the Nokia SGSN software, implementing network segmentation to isolate critical infrastructure components, and deploying additional access controls such as firewall rules that restrict SNMP traffic to authorized management systems only. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control in information systems, and it maps to ATT&CK technique T1046 for network service scanning and T1071 for application layer protocol usage, demonstrating how attackers can leverage such weaknesses to gain unauthorized access to network management interfaces. Security practitioners should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized SNMP access attempts and establish baseline network behavior to identify potential exploitation of this vulnerability.