Kewlhair Security Advisory --DSL ROUTERS

From: Andrew R. Siverly (asiverlyat_private)
Date: Sat Mar 11 2000 - 02:14:42 PST

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     Kewlhair Security Advisory
     Advisory Name: Router Passwords
     Advisory Released: 03/09/00
     Severity: Moderate
     Summary: An attacker can seize control of an SBC customer’s router.
    
    
    Overview:
    	SBC is currently deploying the Cayman-DSL router to its DSL
    customer’s.(SBC communications being the parent company for
    Southwestern Bell, Ameritech, Pacific Bell, Nevada Bell, Cellular
    One, and a few more.) With this deployment SBC is neglecting to set
    passwords on the router. Kewlhair has found over 300 of these
    non-pass worded routers.
    
    Description:
    
    Telco engineers often fail to set passwords on DSL modems installed
    at
    Customer sites.  The vulnerability affects many different DSL modems.
     The Cayman product is especially vulnerable because it defaults to
    having no Password at all.
    
    As the Telco’s does often not educate the customers, their modems are
    left vulnerable to intrusion and denial of service events.
    
    Vulnerability:
    
    An individual with malicious intent could easy scan for these devices
    on a DSL providers network, connect to them, and disable them without
    significant effort.  In addition, an intruder could disable access to
    the device itself by installing a password (which only they would
    know).
    
    A significant vulnerability is that these devices often can be set
    with
    Static routing tables so packets could be sent through an environment
    where a malicious third party could monitor the traffic.
    
    The Demo:
    
     [ user@xxxx /user]# telnet xxx.xxx.xxx..xxx..
    Trying xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx...
    Connected to xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx.
    Escape character is '^]'.
    
    Terminal shell v1.0
    Cayman-DSL Model 3220-H, DMT-ADSL (Alcatel) plus 4-port hub
    Running GatorSurf version 5.3.0 (build R2)
    ( completed login: administrator level)
    
    Cayman-DSLXXXXXX>
    
    
    
    Worse Case:
    	Someone writes a script that logs into every one of these routers
    sets the passwords, then changes the ip or kills the interface so it
    no longer works properly. Then causing and SBC engineer to come to
    the home or place of business to fix this problem.
    (I bet that would cost some bucks)
    
    Solutions:
    
    Mandate that the Telco engineers change the default passwords on the
    devices at time of install, and provide literature to the consumer
    advising them of the risks of DSL (or cable) connections to the
    Internet.
    
    Quick solution:
    	Set your password on your Cayman router.
    http://cayman.com/security.html#passwordprotect
    
    How do I password protect the Cayman router?
    
    Through the browser:
    1.	Browse into the Cayman router.
    2.	Click on the " Expert Mode" link.
    3.	A second of row of links will appear.
    4.	Then select the " Passwords" link.
    
    
    Through a Telnet session:
    1.	First establish a telnet session to the unit or connect serially
    to the console port at 9600 Baud.
    2.	At the prompt, type " configure" ( NOTE-all commands are typed
    without quotes) and enter.
    3.	At this point you will be at the " top" prompt. Then type "
    system" and enter.
    4.	Now you will be at the " system" prompt. Here you type," set
    password" admin and enter.
    5.	You will then be prompted for the new password and then be
    prompted to repeat the password. Once you have done this, you will be
    back at the system prompt.
    6.	Here you will need to repeat the process, this time for the user
    password, by doing the following steps:
    7.	Type, " set password user" and enter. Again you will then be
    prompted for the
      new password an then be prompted to repeat the password. Once this
    is done, you will be at the " system" prompt again.
    Here type," quit" , and you will be prompted, " Save modified
    configuration data [y|n] ?" Type, " yes" and the router is now
    password protected.
    
    NOTE- We recommend that the admin and user password be the same to
    avoid confusion. This approach allows only the admin password to view
    or change the settings.
    
    
    asiverlyat_private
    
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