CVE-2014-5381
📋 TL;DR
The Grand MA 300 fingerprint reader allows brute-force attacks on its PIN authentication due to weak verification mechanisms. This vulnerability enables attackers to bypass biometric security and gain unauthorized access to protected systems or areas. Organizations using Grand MA 300 devices for physical or logical access control are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Grand MA 300 Fingerprint Reader
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete compromise of physical security systems, unauthorized access to secure facilities, theft of sensitive assets, or bypass of multi-factor authentication systems.
Likely Case
Unauthorized individuals gain access to restricted areas or systems protected by the fingerprint reader, potentially leading to theft, espionage, or sabotage.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation, additional security layers, and monitoring in place to detect brute-force attempts.
🎯 Exploit Status
Simple brute-force attack tools can be used against the PIN authentication. The vulnerability is well-documented with public proof-of-concept information available.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Unknown
Vendor Advisory: No official vendor advisory found
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available. Contact manufacturer for firmware updates or replacement options.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Implement Strong PIN Policies
allEnforce complex, long PINs that are resistant to brute-force attacks
Network Segmentation
allIsolate fingerprint readers on separate network segments with strict access controls
Rate Limiting
allImplement network-level rate limiting for authentication attempts
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Replace vulnerable devices with newer models that have proper security controls
- Implement additional physical security measures as compensating controls
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check device model and firmware version. Test if PIN can be brute-forced using automated tools (with proper authorization).Check Version:
Check device display or management interface for firmware version informationVerify Fix Applied:
Verify that strong PIN policies are enforced and test resistance to brute-force attacks.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Multiple failed authentication attempts from single source
- Unusual authentication patterns
- Successful authentication after many failures
Network Indicators:
- High volume of authentication requests to device IP
- Traffic patterns consistent with brute-force tools
SIEM Query:
source_ip="[device_ip]" AND (event_type="authentication_failure" OR event_type="authentication") | stats count by source_ip, user | where count > threshold🔗 References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/128003/Grand-MA-300-Fingerprint-Reader-Weak-PIN-Verification.html
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2014/Aug/70
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/69390
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/95485
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/128003/Grand-MA-300-Fingerprint-Reader-Weak-PIN-Verification.html
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2014/Aug/70
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/69390
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/95485
