CVE-2017-7576 in horizon
Summary
by MITRE
DragonWave Horizon 1.01.03 wireless radios have hardcoded login credentials (such as the username of energetic and password of wireless) meant to allow the vendor to access the devices. These credentials can be used in the web interface or by connecting to the device via TELNET. This is fixed in recent versions including 1.4.8.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7576 affects DragonWave Horizon 1.01.03 wireless radios, representing a critical security flaw that exposes devices to unauthorized access. This issue stems from the inclusion of hardcoded credentials within the device firmware, specifically featuring a username of "energetic" and password of "wireless" which are intended for vendor access purposes. The presence of such default credentials creates a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to gain unauthorized control over wireless infrastructure components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the persistence of hardcoded authentication credentials within the device's operational environment, making it possible for anyone with knowledge of these default values to access the device through multiple entry points. The web interface serves as one primary access vector, while TELNET connectivity provides an additional pathway for exploitation, demonstrating the breadth of potential attack surfaces. This design flaw directly violates fundamental security principles and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege, as the default credentials remain unchanged across deployments without proper security configuration.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations deploying DragonWave wireless infrastructure, as it allows attackers to establish persistent access to critical wireless network components. The impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access, potentially enabling attackers to modify device configurations, intercept wireless communications, or use the compromised devices as launch points for further network infiltration. This vulnerability particularly affects industrial and enterprise wireless networks where DragonWave equipment is commonly deployed for critical communications infrastructure.
The remediation for this vulnerability requires immediate firmware updates to versions 1.4.8 or later, which address the hardcoded credential issue through proper authentication mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive device inventory management to identify all affected equipment and ensure timely patch deployment. Security best practices recommend disabling default accounts and implementing strong, unique authentication credentials for all network devices. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-798, which specifically addresses the use of hard-coded credentials, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1075, which covers the use of legitimate credentials for unauthorized access. The presence of default credentials in network infrastructure devices represents a common attack vector that organizations must address through proper configuration management and regular security assessments.