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Tenda firmware (multiple versions) contains hidden authentication backdoor

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Re: Tenda firmware (multiple versions) contains hidden authentication backdoor

#51

Post by consp »

drnick1 wrote: post #44
matltc wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Looking to do this to get off stock isp leased router. What's your hardware/distro rec?

Ryzen 5 with a dual 10Gbps NIC, running Debian. Overkill for a router/firewall, but I run other services on the same hardware including an email stack, Podman containers, and small AI model for use within Home Assistant. I wouldn't buy new hardware. Any modest machine built in the last decade would do. If possible, get a machine with an internal ATX power supply rather than an external brick, they tend to be more rel…

I have a Lenovo thin client running Debian as internet gateway/firewall. With some minor modifications and a small low power blower fan you can add a dual sfp pcie card in it (not all versions can, though there are more manufacturers of thin clients with 4x pcie slots). The blower fan is because the main fan stops often and it needs some cooling.

Re: Tenda firmware (multiple versions) contains hidden authentication backdoor

#52

Post by ale42 »

_puk wrote: post #38
fusslo wrote: post #5

> Tenda is a supplier of home and business network devices such as routers, switches, wireless access points, and video surveillance equipment. I was unfamiliar with Tenda. > Shenzhen Tenda Technology Co.,Ltd. ( https://www.tendacn.com/us/profile ) Tenda may just rebrand, right? It seems like many chinese brands will either rebrand or have a 'competing' brand with the same internals but different externals. (I have n…

Tenda has been around for quite a few years now. I don't imagine they'll rebrand. I have an ethernet over power adapter somewhere in a cupboard from perhaps 10 years ago. Back then it was standard for the admin password to be 'admin'. They'd often even print it on the device itself.

> the admin password to be 'admin'. They'd often even print it on the device itself.

Yes but aren't you supposed to change that one? The problem with the rzadmin is that it will continue to work even after you change the regular admin one...

Re: Tenda firmware (multiple versions) contains hidden authentication backdoor

#53

Post by Havoc »

The consistency with which networking hardware companies produce such garbage is crazy.

And it’s always amateur hour backdoors somehow. If it was something sophisticated they might get a pass on „ok some security agency made them do it probably“

Re: Tenda firmware (multiple versions) contains hidden authentication backdoor

#54

Post by netsharc »

ggm wrote: post #20
VladVladikoff wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m working on a hotel right now. And I’ve gone to great lengths to make the wifi more secure. Everyone on their own VLAN. Separate PPSK for each room. Credentials are randomly generated and not some ridiculous pattern of last name and room number or similar. We built our own custom access control system, with what at the time was the strongest keycards we could find (mifare desfire ev3), I’m really trying to make a…

As long as I can bind more than one device in my room, and as long as I can "see" the devices amongst themselves, I'd love this. I can imagine people who want inter-room access but they can live through proxies offsite. If I want to do in room sharing, I need in room wifi. Gets hard when you bring "smart" TV's to the table. They're going to need to expose into this system somewhat 'credential-free' but if you do it o…

I stayed at a clinic once, and all the smart TVs were on the same network.. I wonder what would've happened if I streamed a video from my phone to another room's TV.

Re: Tenda firmware (multiple versions) contains hidden authentication backdoor

#56

Post by KingOfCoders »

Havoc wrote: post #53

The consistency with which networking hardware companies produce such garbage is crazy. And it’s always amateur hour backdoors somehow. If it was something sophisticated they might get a pass on „ok some security agency made them do it probably“

Or the amateur hour backdoors are those that are found.

Or the amateur hour backdoors are there to be found.

Re: Tenda firmware (multiple versions) contains hidden authentication backdoor

#57

Post by BloondAndDoom »

greyface- wrote: post #12

The article doesn't disclose the value of "sys.rzadmin.password", but this writeup from 2022 does: https://boschko.ca/tenda_ac1200_router/ Spoiler: it's "rzadmin". And it looks like there are a bunch of other goodies in the firmware, too.

At that point it’s not even a back door it’s just stupid default root password kind of design which used to be standard in this kind of hardware. Backdoor would at least try to be subtle :)

Re: Tenda firmware (multiple versions) contains hidden authentication backdoor

#59

Post by puzzlingcaptcha »

_puk wrote: post #38
fusslo wrote: post #5

> Tenda is a supplier of home and business network devices such as routers, switches, wireless access points, and video surveillance equipment. I was unfamiliar with Tenda. > Shenzhen Tenda Technology Co.,Ltd. ( https://www.tendacn.com/us/profile ) Tenda may just rebrand, right? It seems like many chinese brands will either rebrand or have a 'competing' brand with the same internals but different externals. (I have n…

Tenda has been around for quite a few years now. I don't imagine they'll rebrand. I have an ethernet over power adapter somewhere in a cupboard from perhaps 10 years ago. Back then it was standard for the admin password to be 'admin'. They'd often even print it on the device itself.

I am still using their Powerline adapters and FWIW they have been very reliable.

Re: Tenda firmware (multiple versions) contains hidden authentication backdoor

#60

Post by pbasista »

> The associated username is not validated, so any provided username will succeed when paired with the backdoor password.

Great. I am really wondering why should the customers trust these manufacturers.

At this point I would not use any router with vendor-provided black box firmware. Full stop.

I would always install OpenWRT or something similar on it before using it.

And if that is not possible for whatever reason, I would not even think about buying such a device.

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