CVE-2004-1474 in Enterprise Firewall
Summary
by MITRE
Symantec Enterprise Firewall/VPN Appliances 100, 200, and 200R running firmware before 1.63 and Gateway Security 320, 360, and 360R running firmware before 622 uses a default read/write SNMP community string, which allows remote attackers to alter the firewall s configuration file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1474 affects Symantec Enterprise Firewall and VPN appliances including models 100, 200, and 200R, along with Gateway Security 320, 360, and 360R devices. These network security appliances operate with firmware versions prior to 1.63 and 622 respectively, creating a critical security weakness that stems from the use of default SNMP community strings. This flaw represents a significant configuration oversight that fundamentally undermines the security posture of these appliances. The default read/write SNMP community string serves as a well-known credential that remote attackers can easily discover and exploit, eliminating the need for complex attack vectors or advanced persistent threats.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the Simple Network Management Protocol which is designed for network management and monitoring purposes. However, when default community strings remain unchanged, they create an unauthorized access point that allows attackers to perform administrative functions on the affected devices. The specific flaw lies in the device configuration where the default SNMP community string provides both read and write permissions, enabling malicious actors to not only monitor network traffic and device status but also to modify critical firewall configuration files. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates poor security hardening practices in the device firmware.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations relying on these Symantec appliances for network security. Remote attackers with knowledge of the default community string can completely compromise the firewall configuration, potentially leading to complete network infiltration, data exfiltration, and disruption of critical network services. The ability to alter configuration files means that attackers can disable security features, create backdoors, redirect traffic, or implement other malicious modifications that would be extremely difficult to detect and remediate. This vulnerability essentially provides attackers with administrative control over network security infrastructure, making it a critical target for exploitation. The implications extend beyond immediate compromise to include long-term network exposure and potential lateral movement within the network environment.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating firmware to versions 1.63 or later for Enterprise Firewall/VPN appliances and firmware 622 or later for Gateway Security appliances. The most critical immediate action involves changing default SNMP community strings to strong, unique values and implementing network segmentation to limit access to these management interfaces. Configuration management practices should enforce regular security audits and credential rotation policies to prevent similar issues. According to CWE-798, this vulnerability aligns with the weakness of using hardcoded credentials, while the ATT&CK framework categorizes this under privilege escalation and persistence techniques. Network administrators should also consider implementing SNMP access controls, disabling unnecessary SNMP services, and establishing robust monitoring for unauthorized configuration changes to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain overall network security posture.