Cisco fixes unauthorized access flaws in access points, wireless LAN controllers

The Cisco Aironet 1830e, 1830i, 1850e and 1850i series access points contain a default account with a static password that attackers can use to gain unauthorized access, the company said in an advisory.

Fortunately, the account does not have administrative privileges, so the vulnerability is only rated as high impact instead of critical.

The same products are affected by a separate denial-of-service vulnerability that stems from improper input validation of IP packet headers.

Things are more serious with a vulnerability in Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) software versions 7.6.120.0 or later, 8.0 or later, or 8.1 or later that can allow remote, unauthenticated attackers to change the configuration of devices and completely compromise them.

The affected devices are Cisco 2500, 5500, 8500 series Wireless Controllers, as well as Cisco Flex 7500 Series and Cisco Virtual Wireless Controllers. Modular controllers that run Cisco WLC software are also affected. These include Integrated Services Module 300, SRE 700, SRE 710, SRE 900, and SRE 910, as well as Cisco Wireless Services Module 2 (WiSM-2).

The Cisco Identity Services Engine versions prior to 2.0 also contained two unauthorized access vulnerabilities that have been patched. One of them is rated as medium and one as critical.

The critical flaw affects Cisco ISE devices running software versions 1.1 or later, 1.2.0 prior to patch 17, 1.2.1 prior to patch 8, 1.3 prior to patch 5, or 1.4 prior to patch 4. If left unpatched, it could allow remote, unauthenticated attackers to completely compromise the devices.