CVE-2008-5866 in Tsunami MP.11 2411
Summary
by MITRE
The Proxim Wireless Tsunami MP.11 2411 with firmware 3.0.3 has public as its default SNMP read/write community, which makes it easier for remote attackers to obtain sensitive information or modify SNMP variables.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/05/2017
The Proxim Wireless Tsunami MP.11 2411 device represents a critical network infrastructure component that suffers from a fundamental security flaw in its SNMP configuration. This vulnerability stems from the device's default SNMP community string configuration, where the read-write community is set to the well-known and publicly accessible value of "public". The issue affects firmware version 3.0.3 of the Tsunami MP.11 2411 access point, which operates within wireless networking environments and serves as a bridge between wired and wireless network segments.
The technical flaw manifests as a weak authentication mechanism within the Simple Network Management Protocol implementation. SNMP community strings function as passwords for network management access, and when configured with default values like "public", they create an easily exploitable entry point for malicious actors. This configuration violates fundamental security principles by providing unrestricted access to network management functions without proper authentication. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-310, which addresses cryptographic weakness in authentication mechanisms, and specifically represents a case where default credentials are not properly changed by administrators.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to encompass full management control of the affected device. Remote attackers can leverage the public SNMP community string to perform various malicious activities including reading sensitive configuration data, modifying device settings, changing network parameters, and potentially disrupting network operations. This weakness creates a persistent threat vector that remains active until the device is properly secured, as it does not require any special privileges or complex exploitation techniques to compromise. The vulnerability directly enables attacks categorized under the MITRE ATT&CK framework's T1071.004 technique for application layer protocol: DNS, since SNMP traffic can be used to exfiltrate information or establish command and control channels.
The security implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where wireless access points are deployed without proper security hardening. Network administrators who fail to change default community strings leave their wireless infrastructure vulnerable to unauthorized access, potentially enabling attackers to gain insights into network topology, device configurations, and operational parameters. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper security configuration management and the dangers of relying on default settings in network infrastructure devices. Organizations should implement comprehensive network security policies that mandate immediate credential changes upon device deployment and regular security audits to identify and remediate similar configuration weaknesses across their wireless network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate administrative action to change the default SNMP community strings to strong, unique values and implementing network segmentation to limit SNMP access to authorized management systems only. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized SNMP access attempts, and regular security assessments should verify that all network devices maintain secure SNMP configurations. The vulnerability underscores the necessity of following security best practices such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 standards for network device security management.