Vulnerabilities in SNMP Agent Default Community Name (public) is a Medium risk vulnerability that is one of the most frequently found on networks around the world. This issue has been around since at least 1990 but has proven either difficult to detect, difficult to resolve or prone to being overlooked entirely.

Contents

  • Vital information on this issue
  • Scanning For and Finding Vulnerabilities in SNMP Agent Default Community Name (public)
  • Penetration Testing (Pentest) for this Vulnerability
  • Security updates on Vulnerabulities in SNMP Agent Default Community (public)
  • Confirming the presence of Vulnerabilities in SNMP Agent Default Community Name (public)
  • False positive/Repairing in the vulnerability
  • Patching/Repairing this Vulnerability
  • Exploits related to Vulnerabilities in SNMP Agent Default Community Name (public)

Vital Information on This Issue

Vulnerability Name:SNMP Agent Default Community Name (public)
Test ID:11938
Risk:Medium
Category:SNMP Services
Type:Attack
Summary:It is possible to obtain the default community name of the remote SNMP server.
Impact:An attacker may use this information to gain more knowledge about the remote host, or to change the configuration of the remote system (if the default community allow such modifications).
Solution:Disable the SNMP service on the remote host if you do not use it, filter incoming UDP packets going to this port, or change the default community string.
CVE:CVE-1999-0517
More Information:http://null-byte.wonderhowto.com/how-to/hack-like-pro-exploit-snmp-for-reconnaissance-0150181/

https://www.ee.ucl.ac.uk/lcs/previous/LCS2003/102.pdf
Nist NVD (CVSS):AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
CVSS Score:7.5

Scanning For and Finding Vulnerabilities in SNMP Agent Default Community Name (public)

Use of Vulnerability Management tools, like Beyond Security’s beSECURE (Automated Vulnerability Detection Software), are standard practice for the discovery of this vulnerability. The primary failure of VA in finding this vulnerability is related to setting the proper scope and frequency of network scans. It is vital that the broadest range of hosts (active IPs) possible are scanned and that scanning is done frequently. We recommend weekly.

Your existing scanning solution or set of test tools should make this not just possible, but easy and affordable. If that is not the case, please consider beSECURE.

Penetration Testing (pentest) for this Vulnerability

The Vulnerabilities in SNMP Agent Default Community Name (public) is prone to false positive reports by most vulnerability assessment solutions. beSECURE is alone in using behavior based testing that eliminates this issue. For all other VA tools security consultants will recommend confirmation by direct observation. In any case Penetration testing procedures for discovery of Vulnerabilities in SNMP Agent Default Community Name (public) produces the highest discovery accuracy rate, but the infrequency of this expensive form of testing degrades its value. The ideal would be to have pentesting accuracy and the frequency and scope possibilities of VA solutions, and this is accomplished only by beSECURE.

Security Updates on Vulnerabilities in SNMP Agent Default Community Name (public)

Given that this is one of the most frequently found vulnerabilities, there is ample information regarding mitigation online and very good reason to get it fixed. Hackers are also aware that this is a frequently found vulnerability and so its discovery and repair is that much more important. It is so well known and common that any network that has it present and unmitigated indicates “low hanging fruit” to attackers.

Confirming the Presence of Vulnerabilities in SNMP Agent Default Community Name (public)

beSECURE is currently testing for and finding this vulnerability with zero false positives. If your current set of tools is indicating that it is present but you think it is probably a false positive, please request a demonstration of beSECURE.

False positive/negatives

The secret killer of VA solution value is the false positive. There was an industry wide race to find the most vulnerabilities, including Vulnerabilities in SNMP Agent Default Community Name (public) ,and this resulted in benefit to poorly written tests that beef up scan reports by adding a high percentage of uncertainty. This may have sold a lot of systems some years ago, but it also stuck almost all VA solutions with deliberately inaccurate reporting that adds time to repairs that no administrator can afford. Beyond Security did not participate in this race to mutually assured destruction of the industry and to this day produces the most accurate and actionable reports available.

Patching/Repairing this Vulnerability

Vulnerabilities in SNMP Agent Default Community Name (public) is a Medium risk vulnerability that is also high frequency and high visibility. This is the most severe combination of security factors that exists and it is extremely important to find it on your network and fix it as soon as possible.

beSECURE can scan tens of thousands of IPs in large environments with segmented or distributed networks, and generate remediation tickets when vulnerabilities are found — and then track them within the system.

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