CVE-2017-3765 in Enterprise Networking Operating System
Summary
by MITRE
In Enterprise Networking Operating System (ENOS) in Lenovo and IBM RackSwitch and BladeCenter products, an authentication bypass known as "HP Backdoor" was discovered during a Lenovo security audit in the serial console, Telnet, SSH, and Web interfaces. This bypass mechanism can be accessed when performing local authentication under specific circumstances. If exploited, admin-level access to the switch is granted.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/29/2021
The CVE-2017-3765 vulnerability represents a critical authentication bypass flaw discovered within the Enterprise Networking Operating System (ENOS) used in Lenovo and IBM RackSwitch and BladeCenter networking equipment. This vulnerability was identified during a Lenovo security audit and specifically targets the serial console, Telnet, SSH, and Web interfaces of affected network switches. The flaw operates as an authentication bypass mechanism that allows attackers to gain administrative privileges on the switch when performing local authentication under specific conditions. The vulnerability's discovery through internal auditing procedures highlights the importance of comprehensive security assessments in enterprise networking infrastructure. The "HP Backdoor" moniker suggests this issue may have originated from or been related to Hewlett Packard's networking products, indicating potential cross-vendor security implications in enterprise networking equipment.
The technical implementation of this authentication bypass involves exploiting specific conditions within the local authentication process of the ENOS operating system. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to bypass normal authentication mechanisms and directly access administrative functions without proper credentials. The flaw affects multiple access vectors including serial console connections, Telnet services, SSH protocols, and web-based management interfaces, creating a broad attack surface for potential exploitation. This multi-interface vulnerability means that even if one authentication method is secured, attackers could potentially exploit the bypass through alternative access points. The vulnerability's classification as an authentication bypass aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems. The specific nature of the bypass suggests weaknesses in the authentication state management or validation logic within the ENOS implementation.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-3765 is severe for enterprise network environments, as it provides unauthorized access to administrative functions of critical networking equipment. Network administrators who rely on these switches for core infrastructure operations face significant risks including unauthorized network configuration changes, data interception, and potential complete network compromise. The vulnerability's presence in rack switch and blade center products means that organizations with large-scale data center deployments could face widespread compromise across their network infrastructure. The ability to gain admin-level access through local authentication bypasses creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access, modify network policies, and potentially use the compromised switches as entry points for further attacks within the network. This vulnerability directly impacts the CIA triad by compromising both confidentiality and integrity of network operations, with potential availability impacts through configuration changes that could disrupt network services.
Organizations affected by CVE-2017-3765 should implement immediate mitigations including applying vendor-provided security patches, disabling unnecessary network services, and implementing network segmentation to limit access to affected switches. The vulnerability's multi-interface nature requires comprehensive network access controls and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts. Security teams should conduct thorough inventory assessments to identify all affected ENOS devices and implement strict access controls for serial console access. Network administrators should consider implementing additional authentication layers and monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns. The vulnerability's discovery through internal auditing underscores the importance of regular security assessments and continuous monitoring of network infrastructure. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential access, representing the attack vectors that would be utilized by threat actors exploiting this flaw. Organizations should also implement network behavior monitoring to detect unusual access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's potential for lateral movement within networks means that organizations should review their network segmentation strategies and implement zero-trust security principles to limit the impact of any successful exploitation.