The Crimson 3.2 Windows-based configuration tool allows users with administrative access to define new passwords for users and to download the resulting security configuration to a device. If such a password contains the percent (%) character, invalid values will be included, potentially truncating the string if a NUL is encountered. If the simplified password is not detected by the administrator, the device might be left in a vulnerable state as a result of more-easily compromised credentials. Note that passwords entered via the Crimson system web server do not suffer from this vulnerability.
Authorized users may install a maliciously modified package file when updating the device via the web user interface. The user may inadvertently use a package file obtained from an unauthorized source or a file that was compromised between download and deployment.
The weak password on the web user interface can be exploited via HTTP or HTTPS. Once such access has been obtained, the other passwords can be changed. The weak password on Linux accounts can be accessed via SSH or Telnet, the former of which is by default enabled on trusted interfaces. While the SSH service does not support root login, a user logging in using either of the other Linux accounts may elevate to root access using the su command if they have access to the associated password.
A malicious actor having access to the exported configuration file may obtain the stored credentials and thereby gain access to the protected resource. If the same passwords were used for other resources, further such assets may be compromised.