Tutorial - Cisco developer's shell

Cisco Developer's Shell

Created 7/19/01
CVE 2001-1037
CVE 2001-1038

Impact

A remote attacker could execute commands on the router or create a denial of service by rebooting the router.

Background

The Cisco SN 5420 Storage Router supports TCP/IP and also features SCSI over IP, which provides network storage capabilities.

The Problem

The Cisco SN 5420 Storage Router includes a developer's shell, which is used for testing during development. The shell is accessible using rlogin or on TCP port 8023, and enables a remote user to execute low-level commands without providing a password. Furthermore, an attacker can cause the router to reboot by rapidly establishing multiple connections to port 8023, thus causing a denial of service.

Software versions prior to 1.1(4) are affected by these vulnerabilities.

Resolution

Upgrade to software version 1.1(4). If it is not possible to upgrade immediately, then block access to TCP ports 513 and 8023 at the gateway router or firewall until it is possible to upgrade.

Where can I read more about this?

For more information, see the Cisco advisory or CIAC Bulletin L-112.