CVE-2024-48121 in 6040i Hitrax
Summary
by MITRE • 01/15/2025
The HI-SCAN 6040i Hitrax HX-03-19-I was discovered to transmit user credentials in cleartext over the GIOP protocol. This allows attackers to possibly gain access to sensitive information via a man-in-the-middle attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2025
The HI-SCAN 6040i Hitrax HX-03-19-I security device presents a critical vulnerability where user authentication credentials are transmitted in plaintext format over the GIOP protocol. This flaw represents a fundamental failure in secure communication design and exposes the system to significant risk of credential interception and unauthorized access. The vulnerability specifically affects the communication channel used for transmitting sensitive authentication data between client and server components within the Hitrax security infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the lack of encryption mechanisms within the GIOP protocol implementation used by the HI-SCAN 6040i device. GIOP which stands for General Inter-ORB Protocol is typically used for communication between CORBA objects and should normally operate over secure channels. However, in this case the device fails to implement proper encryption or authentication mechanisms, allowing any network observer to capture and decode the transmitted credentials. This weakness directly violates established security principles and creates an attack surface that aligns with CWE-312, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information through cleartext transmission.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. An attacker positioned within the network or capable of performing man-in-the-middle attacks can easily intercept the plaintext credentials during transmission. This compromise enables unauthorized access to the security system, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges, modify security configurations, or gain access to restricted network areas. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the entire security infrastructure, as the device itself becomes a potential entry point for malicious actors seeking to undermine the security posture of the protected environment. This weakness directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under credential access and defense evasion categories.
Organizations utilizing this security device must implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves enforcing secure communication protocols such as TLS encryption for all GIOP communications, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the affected system, and conducting comprehensive network monitoring to detect potential credential interception attempts. Additionally, device firmware should be updated to ensure proper encryption implementation, and network administrators should consider deploying intrusion detection systems specifically configured to identify cleartext credential transmission patterns. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of secure communication implementation in security infrastructure devices and serves as a reminder of the necessity for robust cryptographic practices in all network communication channels.