CVE-2024-8449 in GS-4210-24PL4C Hardware 2.0
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2024
Certain switch models from PLANET Technology have a Hard-coded Credential in the password recovering functionality, allowing an unauthenticated attacker to connect to the device via the serial console and use this credential to reset any user's password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-8449 affects specific switch models manufactured by PLANET Technology, presenting a critical security risk through the presence of a hard-coded credential within the password recovery functionality. This flaw represents a fundamental design weakness that undermines the authentication mechanisms of network devices, creating an unauthorized access vector that can be exploited without prior authentication credentials. The hard-coded credential exists within the device's serial console interface, which serves as a direct administrative pathway to the switch's management functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the inclusion of a static, well-known password within the device firmware that is intended for password recovery operations. When an attacker successfully connects to the serial console interface, they can leverage this predetermined credential to authenticate and gain administrative access to the switch. This access enables the attacker to perform password resets for any user account on the device, effectively bypassing all standard authentication controls and user management restrictions. The flaw violates fundamental security principles by embedding credentials that should remain dynamic and unique to each deployment.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-8449 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over affected switches. Once authenticated, adversaries can modify network configurations, implement unauthorized access controls, monitor network traffic, and potentially establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability particularly affects network security by compromising the integrity of user authentication systems and can lead to significant network disruption or data compromise. The serial console access point represents a critical attack surface that often bypasses standard network-based security controls and monitoring systems.
Organizations utilizing affected PLANET switches should immediately implement mitigation strategies including firmware updates from the vendor, network segmentation to isolate serial console access, and monitoring for unauthorized serial console connections. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-798, which addresses the use of hard-coded credentials in software, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in network security. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to the ATT&CK technique T1210, which involves exploiting weak or default credentials to gain system access, and T1078, which covers legitimate credentials for persistence and privilege escalation. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as disabling unused console ports, enforcing secure configuration policies, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar hard-coded credential vulnerabilities in other network infrastructure components.