CVE-2004-1920 in WLAN 11b Broadband Router
Summary
by MITRE
X-Micro WLAN 11b Broadband Router 1.2.2, 1.2.2.3, 1.2.2.4, and 1.6.0.0 has a hardcoded "super" username and password, which could allow remote attackers to gain access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-1920 represents a critical security flaw in X-Micro WLAN 11b Broadband Router firmware versions 1.2.2, 1.2.2.3, 1.2.2.4, and 1.6.0.0. This issue falls under the category of weak authentication mechanisms and hardcoded credentials, which are classified as CWE-798 in the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The vulnerability stems from the inclusion of a hardcoded super user account with a default username and password combination that remains unchanged across all affected firmware versions. This design flaw fundamentally undermines the security posture of the network devices, as it creates a universal entry point that attackers can exploit without requiring any knowledge of legitimate user credentials or sophisticated attack techniques.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the inclusion of hard-coded administrative credentials within the router firmware itself, making it accessible to anyone who can access the device's management interface. This hardcoded super user account typically allows full administrative privileges, enabling attackers to modify network configurations, disable security features, access network traffic, and potentially establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects multiple firmware versions, indicating a systemic design flaw rather than a one-time coding error, and the default credentials remain unchanged regardless of device deployment or security updates.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations and individuals who deploy these routers, as it enables remote attackers to gain complete administrative control over the network infrastructure. The attack surface extends beyond simple unauthorized access to include potential man-in-the-middle attacks, data interception, and network disruption. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1566 (Phishing) as attackers can leverage the hardcoded credentials to establish persistent access and potentially use the compromised device as a stepping stone for further network exploration. The vulnerability also aligns with T1046 (Network Service Scanning) as attackers may scan for devices with known default credentials to exploit this flaw.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action from device administrators to change the default credentials, although this is not possible given that the credentials are hardcoded within the firmware. The most effective remediation involves replacing the affected routers with devices running updated firmware that does not contain hardcoded credentials, or implementing network segmentation to isolate these vulnerable devices from critical network infrastructure. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts and consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify exploitation attempts targeting known default credential vulnerabilities. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of proper credential management practices and the need for vendors to implement secure default configurations that require explicit user intervention to establish initial administrative access, as recommended by NIST SP 800-123 and ISO/IEC 27001 security standards.