CVE-2015-2804 in OmniSwitch
Summary
by MITRE
The management web interface in Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch 6450, 6250, 6850E, 9000E, 6400, and 6855 with firmware before 6.6.4.309.R01 and 6.6.5.x before 6.6.5.80.R02 generates weak session identifiers, which allows remote attackers to hijack arbitrary sessions via a brute force attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/20/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2804 affects Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch series network devices including models 6450, 6250, 6850E, 9000E, 6400, and 6855. This weakness resides in the management web interface of these switches and stems from the generation of insufficiently random session identifiers. The flaw enables remote attackers to perform session hijacking attacks through brute force techniques, potentially gaining unauthorized administrative access to the affected network infrastructure. The vulnerability impacts firmware versions prior to 6.6.4.309.R01 and 6.6.5.x versions before 6.6.5.80.R02, representing a significant security gap in network device management interfaces.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the use of predictable or insufficiently random session tokens that are generated during the web interface authentication process. These weak session identifiers lack proper entropy and cryptographic strength, making them susceptible to brute force attacks where attackers can systematically guess valid session IDs. The weakness directly maps to CWE-330, which specifically addresses the use of insufficiently random values in security contexts, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential harvesting through social engineering and brute force methods. The predictable nature of these session identifiers compromises the integrity of the authentication mechanism and undermines the security boundary between legitimate administrators and unauthorized users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to critical network infrastructure. An attacker who successfully hijacks a session can potentially modify network configurations, view sensitive operational data, disrupt network services, or establish persistent access points within the network environment. This represents a severe threat to network security and can lead to cascading effects throughout the enterprise network infrastructure, particularly when these switches serve as core network components. The vulnerability affects network availability and integrity, potentially enabling attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks or establish backdoors within the network. The impact is further amplified by the fact that these switches often serve as critical network access points, making successful exploitation particularly damaging to network operations and security posture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2804 should prioritize immediate firmware updates to versions 6.6.4.309.R01 or 6.6.5.80.R02 and later, which address the weak session identifier generation. Network administrators should also implement additional security controls including network segmentation, access control lists, and monitoring of management interface traffic to detect potential exploitation attempts. The implementation of multi-factor authentication mechanisms and secure remote access protocols should be considered as additional layers of defense. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify other potentially affected devices within their network infrastructure and ensure proper network access controls are implemented to limit exposure of management interfaces to trusted networks only. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be performed to identify similar weaknesses in other network infrastructure components.