CWE-798: Use of Hard-coded Credentials

IOActive reports that Cobham Sailor 900 and 6000 series satellite communication terminals running firmware version: 1.08 MFHF / 2.11 VHF contain hardcoded administrator credentials.

The vendor Cobham has provided the following statement:
Cobham SATCOM has found that potential exploitation of the vulnerabilities presented requires either physical access to the equipment or connectivity to the maintenance part of the network, which also requires a physical presence at the terminal. Specifically, in the maritime world, there are very strict requirements for equipment installation and physical access to the equipment is restricted to authorized personnel.

All Cobham network devices are part of a network with a very specific network topology. Equipment and network devices are segregated into clear network segments with different access levels. Maintenance of Cobham network devices is usually carried out by equipment that is physically connected to the network device itself (maintenance port) or connected to an Ethernet switch within a protected network segment. From a network security perspective, Cobham devices can therefore only be subject to attacks if the attacker has either physical access to the device or segment or the network has been installed incorrectly.

Cobham SATCOM will continue to evaluate any potential vulnerabilities with its equipment and implement increased security measures if required.

A remote unauthenticated attacker may be able to gain full control over the device.

The CERT/CC is currently unaware of a practical solution to this problem.