CVE-2003-1507 in WGSD-1020
Summary
by MITRE
Planet Technology WGSD-1020 and WSW-2401 Ethernet switches use a default "superuser" account with the "planet" password, which allows remote attackers to gain administrative access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-1507 represents a critical authentication flaw in network infrastructure devices manufactured by Planet Technology. This issue affects specific models including the WGSD-1020 and WSW-2401 Ethernet switches that are commonly deployed in enterprise and industrial networking environments. The flaw stems from a fundamental security misconfiguration where vendors embedded default administrative credentials directly into the device firmware during manufacturing. This practice violates core security principles and creates an immediate attack vector for malicious actors seeking unauthorized access to network infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves hardcoded authentication credentials that cannot be modified or removed by network administrators. The default superuser account uses the username "superuser" with the password "planet" across affected models, creating a predictable and well-documented attack pattern. This type of flaw falls under the CWE-798 category of using hardcoded credentials, which is classified as a high-risk vulnerability due to its persistence and the ease with which attackers can exploit it. The vulnerability exists at the application layer of the network switch firmware and operates at the network level, allowing remote attackers to establish administrative sessions without requiring additional reconnaissance or exploitation techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the affected network switches. This level of access enables malicious actors to modify network configurations, implement man-in-the-middle attacks, redirect traffic, or establish persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects network core devices that are often positioned in physically accessible locations, making them susceptible to both remote and physical attacks. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078.004 (Valid Accounts: Default Accounts) and T1566 (Phishing), as attackers can leverage these default credentials to establish persistent access and potentially escalate privileges within the network.
Network administrators face significant challenges in addressing this vulnerability since the credentials are hardcoded in the firmware and cannot be changed through normal administrative procedures. The recommended mitigation strategies include immediate firmware updates from Planet Technology, which would typically involve replacing the affected devices with versions containing dynamically generated credentials or implementing proper authentication mechanisms. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit the potential impact of such compromises and establish monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized access attempts. Security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 emphasize the importance of credential management and regular security assessments to prevent exactly these types of hardcoded credential vulnerabilities that have been prevalent in industrial control systems and network infrastructure devices.