CVE-2007-4598 in SurePOS 500
Summary
by MITRE
IBM SurePOS 500 has (1) a default password of "12345" for the manager and (2) blank default passwords for operator accounts.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2017
The vulnerability identified in CVE-2007-4598 affects IBM SurePOS 500 point-of-sale systems which represent critical infrastructure in retail environments. This device operates as a specialized cash register and payment processing terminal that handles sensitive financial transactions and customer data. The security flaw manifests through weak default authentication credentials that persist across multiple user roles within the system architecture.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves hardcoded default passwords that administrators fail to change during initial deployment or system maintenance cycles. The manager account utilizes a simple sequential numeric password "12345" while operator accounts contain blank default passwords, creating multiple attack vectors for unauthorized access. These default credentials remain unchanged in production environments due to insufficient security awareness among deployment personnel and lack of mandatory password change policies during system initialization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access as it enables attackers to gain administrative privileges and manipulate critical system functions. An attacker with access to the manager account can modify system configurations, alter transaction records, access sensitive customer data, and potentially disrupt business operations. The blank passwords for operator accounts provide additional entry points for malicious actors to perform unauthorized transactions or manipulate system settings. This vulnerability directly violates industry standards such as the CWE-798 weakness category for use of hard-coded credentials and represents a significant risk to point-of-sale security frameworks.
The attack surface for this vulnerability aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the credential access and privilege escalation tactics. Attackers can leverage these default credentials to establish persistent access to POS systems, potentially leading to data breaches involving credit card information and personal customer data. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security design principles and inadequate default configuration management that leaves systems exposed to automated scanning and exploitation tools commonly used by threat actors targeting retail infrastructure.
Recommended mitigations include mandatory password change procedures during system deployment, implementation of robust password policies, regular security audits of deployed systems, and network segmentation to limit access to POS environments. Organizations should enforce secure configuration management practices and ensure that default credentials are changed immediately upon system installation. The vulnerability underscores the importance of following security guidelines from NIST SP 800-123 and other regulatory frameworks governing financial services security to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive transactional systems.