CVE-2008-6976 in MicroTik
Summary
by MITRE
MicroTik RouterOS 3.x through 3.13 and 2.x through 2.9.51 allows remote attackers to modify Network Management System (NMS) settings via a crafted SNMP set request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/03/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-6976 represents a critical security flaw in MikroTik RouterOS versions 2.x through 2.9.51 and 3.x through 3.13 that affects the Network Management System component. This issue arises from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the SNMP implementation, allowing remote attackers to manipulate system configuration parameters through carefully crafted SNMP set requests. The vulnerability specifically targets the Network Management System functionality that enables monitoring and management of network infrastructure components through standard SNMP protocols.
The technical flaw stems from improper validation of SNMP set requests within the MikroTik RouterOS implementation. When the system receives an SNMP set request, it fails to adequately verify the authenticity and authorization of the requesting entity before applying configuration changes. This weakness creates an opportunity for malicious actors to inject arbitrary configuration data into the network management system, potentially enabling them to alter critical network parameters without proper authentication. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and specifically relates to weak authentication mechanisms in network management protocols. The flaw demonstrates a classic example of insufficient input sanitization where SNMP requests are processed without proper validation of the request parameters and source authenticity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on MikroTik routers for network infrastructure management. Remote attackers who can reach the router via SNMP can potentially modify network management system settings, which may include changing SNMP community strings, altering network configuration parameters, or disabling monitoring capabilities. This could lead to complete loss of network visibility, unauthorized network access, or disruption of network services. The vulnerability allows attackers to compromise the integrity of network management functions, potentially enabling them to establish persistent access points or redirect network traffic. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1005 which covers data from local system, as it allows unauthorized modification of system configuration data that would normally require administrative access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-6976 should focus on immediate patching of affected MikroTik RouterOS versions to the latest available releases that contain fixes for the SNMP implementation. Organizations should implement network segmentation to restrict access to SNMP ports to only authorized management systems and administrators. The implementation of SNMPv3 with strong authentication and encryption mechanisms should be prioritized over SNMPv1 or v2c which lack proper security features. Network access control lists should be configured to limit SNMP access to specific IP addresses or ranges, and all SNMP community strings should be changed from default values to strong, unique credentials. Additionally, organizations should implement network monitoring to detect unusual SNMP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and regular security audits should verify that SNMP configurations have not been modified without proper authorization. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper network management protocol security implementation and demonstrates how legacy network management systems can become attack vectors when not properly secured.