Static credentials with passwords written into a firewall’s code. What could go wrong?

  • @[email protected]
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    29 days ago

    Right in the Security Advisory

    allow an unauthenticated, local attacker to access an affected system using static credentials.

    Edit: NVM, later it says

    The second is using SSH, which is enabled by default on the management interface of the device.

    • @horse_battery_staple
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      1429 days ago

      That could be any user logged into the CLI. Cisco is famously a network appliance company and they make admin available over the network. Anyone who can get to the LAN/VLAN these appliances are on can exploit this. So not specifically physical access.

      • @[email protected]
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        1229 days ago

        You are right:

        The second is using SSH, which is enabled by default on the management interface of the device. SSH can also be enabled on data interfaces.

        Holy fuck.

        • borari
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          229 days ago

          You are right:

          You should have gone with “correct”.

          • @horse_battery_staple
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            29 days ago

            Is that needed or useful criticism?

            HA! I totally missed the joke. Well played.

            • @Hawke
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              529 days ago

              I think it’s more a reference to your username than actual criticism.

              • borari
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                529 days ago

                Yeah, I thought that would land better.

                • @horse_battery_staple
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                  329 days ago

                  Oh GEEZ! Sorry, I had a VERY literal day at work today. Completely flew over my head.

                  • borari
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                    224 days ago

                    It’s all good. I’ve been having some of those days for what feels like the past month or two now. Hope work chills out for you!

      • @jaybone
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        629 days ago

        Nothing prevents you from putting this on a LAN that can be accessed from over the internet.

        • @[email protected]
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          529 days ago

          Even if it’s not directly accessible from the internet on its own, if it’s accessible from an host exposed to the internet then anyone that can compromise a single host can immediately compromise the firewall.

          “It’s only exposed to the outdated wordpress server” is effectively the same as being exposed to the internet.

          • @jaybone
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            529 days ago

            Yeah that’s my point. Even if the manufacturer actually limits the IP config on the mgmt interface to be configured as not routable over the internet, it could intentionally be on a subnet accessible by some kind of ssh jump server or bastion host. (Or in your example, maybe unintentionally via the Wordpress server.)

        • @[email protected]
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          129 days ago

          Nothing prevents you from making it remotely accessible with the password “password” either