CVE-2005-2329 in in-reach
Summary
by MITRE
mrv communications in-reach lx-8000s lx-4000s and lx-1000s 3.5.0 when using ssh public key authentication does not properly restrict access to ports which allows remote authenticated users to access the consoles of other users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/26/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2329 affects mrv communications in-reach lx-8000s lx-4000s and lx-1000s devices running firmware version 3.5.0 with ssh public key authentication enabled. This represents a significant security flaw in the network device management infrastructure that undermines the fundamental principle of user isolation and access control. The issue manifests when authenticated users establish ssh connections to these devices, creating a scenario where legitimate users can potentially gain unauthorized access to console interfaces belonging to other users within the same system.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper implementation of port access restrictions within the ssh authentication framework of these network devices. When users authenticate through ssh public key authentication, the system fails to properly enforce access controls that should prevent one authenticated user from accessing another user's console sessions. This flaw operates at the application layer and demonstrates a critical failure in privilege separation mechanisms, where the authentication process does not adequately validate whether the requesting user has legitimate authorization to access the target console interface. The vulnerability specifically impacts the ssh service implementation and its associated access control policies.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, creating a potential attack vector for malicious actors who have already gained authentication credentials. Remote authenticated users can exploit this weakness to access sensitive console information, potentially gaining access to other users' sessions, commands, and system configurations. This could lead to information disclosure, privilege escalation, and unauthorized system modifications. The implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where multiple administrators or users may have ssh access to the same network infrastructure, as it effectively breaks down the isolation boundaries that should protect individual user sessions and sensitive operational data.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control, and represents a classic case of inadequate privilege separation in network device management systems. The flaw also maps to attack techniques in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the 'Privilege Escalation' and 'Credential Access' domains, as it allows attackers to leverage legitimate authentication credentials to access unauthorized resources. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including firmware updates from mrv communications, network segmentation to isolate management interfaces, and strict access control policies that enforce proper user isolation. Additional defensive measures should include monitoring for unauthorized console access attempts and implementing robust audit logging to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper access control implementation in network infrastructure devices and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of authentication and authorization mechanisms in enterprise network equipment.