CVE-2011-4048 in Kace K2000 Systems Deployment Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
The Dell KACE K2000 System Deployment Appliance has a default username and password for the read-only reporting account, which makes it easier for remote attackers to obtain sensitive information from the database by leveraging the default credentials.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/06/2024
The Dell KACE K2000 System Deployment Appliance represents a critical infrastructure component used for system deployment and management in enterprise environments. This appliance serves as a centralized platform for managing software deployments, inventory tracking, and system monitoring across organizations. The device operates with a web-based interface that provides access to various administrative functions including reporting capabilities that expose sensitive system information and data. The vulnerability stems from the appliance's default configuration that includes hardcoded credentials for a read-only reporting account, a common security misconfiguration pattern that significantly weakens the overall security posture of the system. This default credential issue affects the appliance's authentication mechanism and creates an unauthorized access vector that can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring additional reconnaissance or privilege escalation techniques.
The technical flaw manifests in the appliance's default configuration where a read-only reporting account is pre-configured with a well-known username and password combination. This default credential allows unauthorized remote access to the appliance's reporting functionality, which typically includes access to system inventory data, software deployment information, hardware specifications, and other sensitive operational details. The vulnerability exists because the appliance does not enforce credential changes during initial setup or require explicit user authentication for the reporting account. This weakness directly aligns with CWE-798, which addresses the use of hard-coded credentials, and represents a classic example of insecure default configurations that attackers can leverage to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. The flaw operates at the application layer and can be exploited through network-based attacks without requiring physical access to the device.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data breaches and information disclosure risks. Remote attackers who discover or guess the default credentials can extract sensitive information including system configurations, software inventory details, hardware specifications, and deployment schedules that could be used for further attacks. This information disclosure can facilitate more sophisticated attacks such as privilege escalation attempts, lateral movement within networks, or targeted exploitation of other system components. The vulnerability also impacts compliance requirements since it creates an unauthorized access point that can be used to bypass security controls and potentially violate data protection regulations. Organizations using the appliance may face audit findings and security compliance violations due to the presence of unsecured default credentials, particularly in regulated environments where access controls must be strictly enforced.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of several security controls and configuration changes. The primary recommendation involves changing the default username and password for the reporting account to strong, unique credentials that follow organizational security policies. Network segmentation should be implemented to limit access to the appliance to authorized personnel only, and access controls should be configured to restrict the reporting account to only the necessary permissions required for its function. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar default credential issues across the organization's infrastructure. The appliance should be configured to enforce password complexity requirements and account lockout policies to prevent brute force attacks against the reporting account. Additionally, organizations should implement network monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts and maintain updated security patches to address known vulnerabilities in the appliance's software components. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following security best practices such as those outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials for lateral movement and privilege escalation.