CVE-2018-20440 in CWA0101
Summary
by MITRE
Technicolor CWA0101 CWA0101E-A23E-c7000r5712-170315-SKC devices allow remote attackers to discover Wi-Fi credentials via iso.3.6.1.4.1.4413.2.2.2.1.5.4.1.14.1.3.10001 and 1.3.6.1.4.1.4413.2.2.2.1.18.1.2.3.4.1.2.10001 SNMP requests.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/24/2020
The CVE-2018-20440 vulnerability affects Technicolor CWA0101 and CWA0101E-A23E devices running specific firmware versions, presenting a critical security risk through improper SNMP implementation. These residential gateway devices are commonly deployed in home and small office environments, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking to compromise network security. The vulnerability stems from the device's SNMP service configuration that exposes sensitive Wi-Fi credentials through specific OID (Object Identifier) requests without proper authentication or access controls.
The technical flaw resides in the SNMP implementation where the device responds to specific OID queries with plaintext Wi-Fi credentials stored within the device's configuration. The vulnerable OIDs iso.3.6.1.4.1.4413.2.2.2.1.5.4.1.14.1.3.10001 and 1.3.6.1.4.1.4413.2.2.2.1.18.1.2.3.4.1.2.10001 are designed to retrieve wireless network configuration parameters including SSID and password information. This represents a direct violation of security principles as sensitive network credentials are exposed through an unauthenticated SNMP interface, effectively creating a backdoor for unauthorized access to wireless networks.
This vulnerability has significant operational impact as it allows remote attackers to obtain complete Wi-Fi network credentials without requiring any authentication or physical access to the device. The exposure of these credentials enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including unauthorized network access, man-in-the-middle attacks, and potential lateral movement within compromised networks. The vulnerability affects both the SSID and password information, providing attackers with complete wireless network access credentials that can be used immediately for network infiltration.
The attack vector demonstrates a clear path to privilege escalation and persistent network compromise through the use of standard SNMP enumeration techniques. Attackers can leverage existing network scanning tools to identify vulnerable devices and then execute the specific SNMP queries to extract the credentials. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1018 for Valid Accounts and T1046 for Network Service Scanning, as it allows for network reconnaissance and credential harvesting. The lack of authentication requirements for the SNMP queries represents a fundamental security flaw that violates the principle of least privilege and proper access control implementation.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including disabling SNMP services on affected devices when possible, implementing proper network segmentation to isolate these devices, and applying firmware updates from Technicolor when available. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper SNMP configuration management, as outlined in CWE-269 for Improper Privilege Management and CWE-310 for Cryptographic Issues. Network administrators should consider implementing SNMP access control lists and restricting SNMP queries to trusted management stations only. Additionally, regular network scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across the enterprise network infrastructure, as this type of exposure can lead to broader security compromise through credential reuse attacks.