IP: re Security flaw found in Alcatel's high-speed modems:

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

>From: "Geoff Mulligan" <geoff@mulligan.com>
>To: <farber@cis.upenn.edu>
>Subject: RE: re Security flaw found in Alcatel's high-speed modems: 
>[risks]  Risks Digest 21.35
>Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 19:33:22 -0600
>X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2911.0)
>Importance: Normal
>
>Well Dave, this then is an understatement.
>
>Having helped Tsutomu work on this, I can tell you that the modem can be
>completely compromised such that you can have it capture all traffic in and
>out of the network and all traffic on the lan connected to the modem.  In
>addition since it is possible to overwrite the firmware, not just with
>"garbage" but with a  "revised" version of working code, this penetration of
>the network (maybe not the systems) is rather complete.
>
>What is most disconcerting about this security flaw, is that it seems it was
>designed into the modem and is wide open back door for anyone to "snoop"
>your data.  I think it is unconscionable that a modem manufacturer would
>purposefully install a "secret" back door.
>
>I don't know if you were able to see the original word document that I sent
>you a pointer to that included the revisions.  If you'd like to, let me
>know.  I saved a copy.
>
>         geoff
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-ip-sub-1@admin.listbox.com
>[mailto:owner-ip-sub-1@admin.listbox.com]On Behalf Of Dave Farber
>Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 7:24 PM
>To: ip-sub-1@majordomo.pobox.com
>Subject: IP: re Security flaw found in Alcatel's high-speed modems:
>[risks] Risks Digest 21.35
>
>
>
> >Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 21:19:42 -0400 (EDT)
> >From: elijah wright <elw@stderr.org>
> >To: farber@cis.upenn.edu
> >Subject: Re: IP: Security flaw found in Alcatel's high-speed modems:
>[risks]
> >   Risks Digest 21.35
> >
> >
> > > >Computer Emergency Response Team. The point, continued Liberation, is
> > > >simple. Anyone can penetrate a computer system linked to the Internet
>by
> > > >Alcatel 1000 ADSL and Speed Touch Home modems.
> >
> >this is a publicity-seeking overstatement, dave- the bugtraq reports have
> >stated that the modems are vulnerable to remote control by an attacker,
> >not the systems attached to the modems.  for example, a remote attacker
> >can disable your modem completely, possibly overwriting the firmware
> >on-board the modem itself with garbage.
> >
> >essentially, this is an inflated report of vulnerability in a product that
> >doesn't even directly interact with the functionality that would be
> >affected by an attempted 'penetration'- at least, not as we typically
> >refer to intrusions...
> >
> >elijah
>
>
>
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