CVE-2021-4161 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A critical vulnerability, identified as CVE-2021-4161, has been reported in Moxa's MGate Protocol Gateways. The affected products, including MGate MB3180 Series, MGate MB3280 Series, and MGate MB3480 Series, contain vulnerable firmware that could potentially allow attackers to intercept traffic, decrypt login credentials, and gain admin privileges through the HTTP web server.

Understanding CVE-2021-4161

This section provides an insight into the vulnerability's nature, impact, and potential risks associated with the affected Moxa products.

What is CVE-2021-4161?

The vulnerability in Moxa's MGate Protocol Gateways stems from vulnerable firmware that enables attackers to eavesdrop on network traffic, compromising sensitive login details and potentially leading to unauthorized access.

The Impact of CVE-2021-4161

The impact of this critical vulnerability is severe, as it allows threat actors to gain admin rights through the compromised HTTP web server, posing a significant risk to affected systems and data.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-4161

This section delves into the technical aspects of the CVE-2021-4161 vulnerability, including a description of the flaw, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from the insecure firmware present in MGate MB3180, MB3280, and MB3480 Series gateways, enabling attackers to intercept and decrypt sensitive information exchanged over the network.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects Moxa's MGate MB3180 Series (version < 2.2), MGate MB3280 Series (version 4.1), and MGate MB3480 Series (version 3.2), leaving these devices exposed to exploitation.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sniffing network traffic and leveraging the decrypted login credentials to gain unauthorized access and potentially compromise the integrity and confidentiality of the target systems.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines the recommended steps to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2021-4161, including immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to implement the following mitigations immediately:

Enable 'HTTPS' and disable the HTTP console function under 'Console Settings' on the affected Moxa devices.

Long-Term Security Practices

In the long term, it is crucial for organizations to follow robust security practices, including regular security audits, firmware updates, and network segmentation to enhance overall resilience against potential threats.

Patching and Updates

Moxa has released security mitigations for the vulnerability, along with recommendations for users to consult the Moxa Security Hardening Guide for MGate MB3000 Series to secure their devices effectively.