CVE-2024-37644
📋 TL;DR
TRENDnet TEW-814DAP wireless access points contain a hardcoded root password in the /etc/shadow.sample file, allowing attackers to gain complete administrative control. This affects all devices running firmware version 1.01B01. Attackers can use this default credential to compromise the device and potentially pivot to other network resources.
💻 Affected Systems
- TRENDnet TEW-814DAP
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers gain root access, install persistent malware, pivot to internal networks, intercept all traffic, and brick devices.
Likely Case
Attackers gain administrative access, change device settings, intercept wireless traffic, and use device as foothold for further attacks.
If Mitigated
With proper network segmentation and access controls, impact limited to isolated device compromise.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires only knowledge of the hardcoded password and SSH/Telnet access to the device. Public GitHub repository contains details.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Unknown
Vendor Advisory: Not available
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available. Check TRENDnet website for firmware updates. If update exists, download and apply through web interface.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Change root password
linuxManually change the root password to a strong, unique password
passwd root
Disable remote administration
allDisable SSH/Telnet access from WAN interface
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate device on separate VLAN with strict firewall rules
- Implement network monitoring for suspicious authentication attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
SSH into device as root using known hardcoded password from GitHub repository. If login succeeds, device is vulnerable.Check Version:
cat /etc/version or check web interface firmware versionVerify Fix Applied:
Attempt SSH login with old hardcoded password - should fail. Verify new strong password works.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Failed root login attempts
- Successful root logins from unusual IPs
- Authentication logs showing default credential use
Network Indicators:
- SSH/Telnet connections to device on unusual ports
- Traffic spikes from device to internal networks
SIEM Query:
source="auth.log" (user="root" AND success="true") OR (user="root" AND password="*hardcoded*")