CVE-2004-1637 in HAR11A DSL Router
Summary
by MITRE
The Hawking Technologies HAR11A modem/router allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by connecting to port 254, which displays a management interface and information on established connections.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2017
The CVE-2004-1637 vulnerability affects the Hawking Technologies HAR11A modem/router device, representing a critical security flaw in network infrastructure equipment that exposes sensitive administrative information to unauthorized remote actors. This vulnerability stems from improper access controls within the device's management interface implementation, allowing attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms and directly access confidential system information through an unsecured network port. The flaw specifically manifests when remote adversaries connect to port 254, which serves as a backdoor access point to the device's administrative functions without requiring proper credentials or authentication.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues in network services, and demonstrates how weak security controls can lead to information disclosure vulnerabilities. The HAR11A device fails to properly implement authentication protocols for its management interface, creating an attack surface where unauthorized users can obtain detailed information about active network connections, system configurations, and potentially other sensitive operational data. This misconfiguration represents a fundamental failure in the device's security architecture, where the management interface should have been protected by strong authentication mechanisms but instead provides open access to privileged information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables attackers to gain comprehensive knowledge of the network environment and potentially identify additional attack vectors. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can obtain detailed information about established network connections, which may include source and destination IP addresses, port numbers, connection states, and other metadata that could be leveraged for further attacks. This information disclosure creates opportunities for advanced persistent threats to map network topologies, identify vulnerable systems, and plan more sophisticated attacks against the compromised network infrastructure. The exposure of connection information also violates fundamental network security principles and can lead to significant compromise of network integrity and confidentiality.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement network segmentation measures to isolate the compromised device from critical network segments and restrict access to port 254 through firewall rules and access control lists. The recommended mitigation strategy involves disabling the management interface on port 254 when it is not actively needed for configuration purposes, or implementing strong authentication mechanisms that require valid credentials before granting access to the administrative interface. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive management ports and generate alerts when suspicious connections are detected. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and network audits to identify similar misconfigurations in other network devices that may be exposed to similar risks. This issue demonstrates how legacy network equipment often lacks proper security hardening measures and requires careful attention to access controls and authentication mechanisms to prevent unauthorized information disclosure.