CVE-2020-8000 Overview
CVE-2020-8000 is a critical hardcoded credentials vulnerability affecting Intellian Aptus Web version 1.24. The application contains a hardcoded password of 12345678 for the intellian account, allowing remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to the system without any prior authentication or user interaction.
Critical Impact
Attackers can leverage the hardcoded credentials to gain complete unauthorized access to Intellian Aptus Web systems, potentially compromising satellite communication management interfaces and enabling full system control.
Affected Products
- Intelliantech Aptus Web version 1.24
Discovery Timeline
- 2020-01-27 - CVE-2020-8000 published to NVD
- 2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2020-8000
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability falls under CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials), a common but severe security flaw where authentication credentials are embedded directly into the application's source code or configuration. In the case of Intellian Aptus Web 1.24, the intellian account uses a static password of 12345678 that cannot be changed by administrators and is consistent across all deployments of the affected software.
The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability means that any attacker who can reach the Aptus Web interface can authenticate using these well-known credentials. This completely bypasses the authentication mechanism, rendering it ineffective as a security control.
Root Cause
The root cause of this vulnerability is the use of hardcoded credentials embedded within the Intellian Aptus Web application. During development, static credentials were likely implemented for testing or default access purposes but were never removed or made configurable before production deployment. This practice violates secure coding principles and creates a universal backdoor that affects every installation of the vulnerable software version.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based and requires no privileges, user interaction, or complex conditions to exploit. An attacker simply needs network access to the Intellian Aptus Web interface to authenticate using the hardcoded credentials (intellian:12345678). Once authenticated, the attacker gains full access to the application's functionality, which may include satellite communication system management capabilities.
The exploitation process involves:
- Identifying an exposed Intellian Aptus Web 1.24 instance
- Navigating to the login interface
- Authenticating with username intellian and password 12345678
- Gaining administrative access to the system
Detection Methods for CVE-2020-8000
Indicators of Compromise
- Successful login attempts to Intellian Aptus Web using the intellian account from unexpected IP addresses
- Multiple authentication events from the intellian account across geographically dispersed locations
- Configuration changes or administrative actions performed by the intellian account without authorized administrator knowledge
- Unusual access patterns to satellite communication management interfaces
Detection Strategies
- Monitor authentication logs for login attempts using the intellian username
- Implement network intrusion detection rules to flag access attempts to Aptus Web interfaces
- Deploy web application firewalls (WAF) to detect and alert on repeated authentication attempts
- Conduct regular vulnerability scans to identify exposed Intellian Aptus Web instances
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable comprehensive logging on all Intellian Aptus Web installations
- Configure SIEM alerts for any authentication activity involving the intellian account
- Implement network segmentation to restrict access to satellite communication management interfaces
- Perform regular audits of accounts with administrative privileges
How to Mitigate CVE-2020-8000
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all Intellian Aptus Web 1.24 installations within your environment
- Restrict network access to Aptus Web interfaces using firewall rules and network segmentation
- Place affected systems behind VPN or other secure access mechanisms
- Monitor for any unauthorized access attempts using the hardcoded credentials
- Contact Intellian for updated firmware or software that addresses this vulnerability
Patch Information
No vendor advisory URL is currently available in the CVE data. Organizations should contact Intellian directly for information about patched versions or security updates that address the hardcoded credentials vulnerability. For additional technical analysis, refer to the Sku11army Blog Vulnerability Analysis.
Workarounds
- Implement strict network access controls to limit exposure of the Aptus Web interface to trusted networks only
- Deploy a reverse proxy with additional authentication layers in front of the Aptus Web interface
- Use intrusion prevention systems (IPS) to block authentication attempts using known hardcoded credentials
- Consider taking vulnerable systems offline until a patch is available if they contain sensitive satellite communication configurations
- Implement network monitoring to detect and alert on any exploitation attempts
# Example firewall rule to restrict access to Aptus Web interface
# Allow only trusted management network
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -s 10.0.0.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.0.0.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
