CVE-2016-2509 in Classic Platform Switch
Summary
by MITRE
The password-sync feature on Belden Hirschmann Classic Platform switches L2B before 05.3.07 and L2E, L2P, L3E, and L3P before 09.0.06 sets an SNMP community to the same string as the administrator password, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by sniffing the network.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/31/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2016-2509 affects Belden Hirschmann Classic Platform network switches across multiple product lines including L2B before version 05.3.07 and L2E L2P L3E L3P before version 09.0.006. This security flaw resides in the password synchronization feature that was designed to maintain consistency between administrative credentials and SNMP community strings. The implementation defect creates a critical exposure where the system automatically sets the SNMP community string to match the administrator password without proper security consideration. This configuration allows unauthorized network actors to gain access to sensitive operational data through passive network monitoring techniques.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through network sniffing operations where attackers capture network traffic containing the SNMP community string. Since the community string is identical to the administrator password, successful interception of this information provides attackers with direct access to switch management interfaces and operational parameters. The flaw represents a classic case of weak credential management and improper security configuration where administrative privileges can be obtained through simple network eavesdropping rather than requiring more sophisticated attack vectors. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-798, which addresses the use of hard-coded credentials, and CWE-312, concerning the exposure of sensitive information through cleartext communication.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft to encompass complete network device compromise and potential lateral movement within affected networks. Once an attacker obtains the SNMP community string through network sniffing, they can perform administrative functions including configuration changes, access control modifications, and monitoring of network traffic. The vulnerability affects enterprise network infrastructure devices that are commonly deployed in industrial control systems and critical infrastructure environments where Belden Hirschmann switches are frequently utilized. This creates significant risk for organizations operating in sectors such as manufacturing, utilities, and transportation where network security is paramount.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates to versions that address the password synchronization behavior and prevent the automatic propagation of administrative passwords to SNMP community strings. Organizations should implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect and prevent unauthorized SNMP traffic from traversing the network. Network administrators must also configure SNMP community strings to use strong, unique values that are not derived from administrative passwords. Additionally, implementing network access controls and encryption for SNMP communications can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1566 for credential harvesting through network sniffing techniques. Regular security assessments and network traffic analysis should be conducted to identify and remediate similar configuration weaknesses across network infrastructure components.