CVE-2017-5262 in cnPilot
Summary
by MITRE
In versions 4.3.2-R4 and prior of Cambium Networks cnPilot firmware, the SNMP read-only (RO) community string has access to sensitive information by OID reference.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/17/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5262 affects Cambium Networks cnPilot firmware versions 4.3.2-R4 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw in the network device's SNMP implementation. This issue stems from improper access control mechanisms within the Simple Network Management Protocol configuration, where the read-only community string inadvertently grants unauthorized access to sensitive system information that should be restricted to administrative users only. The flaw demonstrates a classic misconfiguration that violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and proper authorization enforcement.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the SNMP protocol's Object Identifier (OID) structure, where the read-only community string can traverse and retrieve information from OIDs that contain sensitive system data. This represents a violation of the principle of least privilege as defined in the Common Weakness Enumeration framework under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control. The flaw allows an attacker with knowledge of the SNMP RO community string to access information that should require administrative privileges, effectively bypassing the intended security boundaries between different user roles within the network device's management interface.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes network administrators to significant risks including unauthorized access to device configurations, system parameters, and potentially sensitive operational data. The vulnerability enables information disclosure attacks that can provide attackers with detailed insights into the network infrastructure, device capabilities, and operational characteristics that could be leveraged for further exploitation. According to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1082 - System Information Discovery, where adversaries can gather information about the system and network environment to inform their attack strategies. The exposure of sensitive information through this flaw can compromise network security posture and potentially enable more sophisticated attacks such as privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate firmware updates to versions 4.3.2-R5 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the improper access control. Network administrators should also implement additional security measures including SNMP community string management, access control list configurations, and network segmentation to limit exposure. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper SNMP configuration management and the need for regular security assessments of network infrastructure components. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify similar misconfigurations across their network infrastructure and implement robust monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized SNMP access attempts. Additionally, the incident underscores the critical importance of maintaining current firmware versions and implementing proper network access controls to prevent unauthorized information disclosure.