CVE-2022-3203 in IAP-420
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2022
On ORing net IAP-420(+) with FW version 2.0m a telnet server is enabled by default and cannot permanently be disabled. You can connect to the device with with hardcoded credentials and get an administrative shell. These credentials are reset to defaults with every reboot.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/19/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-3203 affects ORing net IAP-420(+) industrial networking devices running firmware version 2.0m, representing a critical security flaw that compromises device integrity and operational security. This issue stems from a fundamental design flaw where the telnet service operates with default configurations that cannot be permanently disabled, creating an persistent attack vector for unauthorized access. The vulnerability manifests through the device's default telnet server configuration that remains active regardless of administrative settings, establishing a persistent backdoor that persists across device reboots.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves hardcoded authentication credentials that are embedded within the device firmware, allowing attackers to establish administrative access without requiring prior knowledge of legitimate user credentials. This flaw directly corresponds to CWE-798, which addresses the use of hardcoded credentials in software, and represents a severe configuration management failure that violates security best practices. The hardcoded credentials reset to default values with each reboot, ensuring that any temporary disabling of the telnet service is only temporary and ineffective against determined attackers. This behavior creates a persistent exposure window that allows unauthorized users to gain administrative privileges repeatedly.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to industrial control systems and network infrastructure security, as it enables unauthorized remote access to critical networking equipment. The attack surface extends beyond simple credential theft to include potential lateral movement within network segments, privilege escalation, and data exfiltration capabilities. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1075 (Pass the Hash) and T1021.004 (SSH/Telnet) techniques, as it provides direct access to administrative shells through well-known network protocols. The persistent nature of the flaw means that network defenders cannot rely on standard configuration management procedures to secure the device, as the telnet service will always re-enable itself after each reboot cycle.
The impact of this vulnerability extends to industrial environments where network reliability and security are paramount, as it creates an unremovable entry point for malicious actors. Organizations using these devices face potential operational disruptions, data breaches, and compliance violations, particularly in regulated industries such as critical infrastructure, manufacturing, and energy sectors. The vulnerability's persistence across reboots violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates poor security-by-design implementation. Mitigation strategies should include immediate network segmentation to isolate affected devices, deployment of network monitoring to detect unauthorized telnet connections, and implementation of firmware updates where available. Additionally, organizations must conduct comprehensive inventory assessments to identify all affected devices and implement temporary workarounds such as physical network isolation or disabling network connectivity entirely for these devices until permanent solutions are available.