COMMAND
Cisco
SYSTEMS AFFECTED
Cisco Catalyst 3500 XL
PROBLEM
Following is based on a Defcom Labs Advisory def-2000-02 by Olle
Segerdahl. The Catalyst 3500 XL series switches web configuration
interface lets any user execute any command on the system without
logging in.
This issue was extremely easy to find, as Cisco provides a link to
it from the first page of the web configuration service. Cisco
Catalyst 3500 XL series switches have a webserver configuration
interface. This interface lets any anonymous web user execute any
command without supplying any authentication credentials by simply
requesting the /exec location from the webserver. An example
follows:
http://catalyst/exec/show/config/cr
This URL will show the configuration file, with all user
passwords.
SOLUTION
Cisco investigated this issue and found that this holds only if
user did not configured an enable password. The only instance
when this is true is when switch administrator has configured an
access password (on vty lines) but without an enable password.
This situation may be confusing since admins will be prompted for
a password when trying to telnet to the switch but will not be
asked for it when using the Web to access the switch. All
switches from 2900XL and 3500XL families share this behavior.
Cisco suspects that this scenario was present when Olle made his
discovery.
So, make sure an "enable" password is set for all Catalysts at
all times. Disable the web configuration interface completely
with the following configuration line: "no ip http server".