The issue has been fixed but raises questions over how companies manage vulnerability reports A company that makes video conferencing products replaced one serious security vulnerability with another, despite being warned of the dangers. AMX Harman, which makes a variety of audio-visual and building control equipment, has patched the problem. But on Thursday SEC Consult, an information security firm in Vienna, revealed what it says is the back story. Last March, SEC Consult warned AMX that it had found a secret account in certain versions of the NX-1200, an appliance for controlling audio-visual systems. The hidden account used the username Black Widow, and SEC Consult said it found the password as well by studying the appliance’s authentication procedures. SEC Consult The credentials can be used to gain broad access to the device, including the web-based management and command line interfaces. A hacker would also be able to capture packets, SEC Consult wrote. The account appears to have been intentionally created, Johannes Greil, head of SEC Consult Vulnerability Lab, said via email. “The backdoor is quite critical, because it seems to be deliberate and not some leftover from developers,” he wrote. “The system tries to actively hide it from user management interfaces and the backdoor account even has more privileges than an admin account.” The finding by SEC Consult is worrying since AMX has a significant government business. In a photo on its website, it shows a photo of U.S. President Barack Obama with top advisors with the tag line “Room Automation.” Although it was notified in March, AMX didn’t provide a fix until October. When SEC Consult analyzed the fix, they noticed the “Black Widow” account had simply been changed to a new username. According to a security brief from AMX, it removed what it called the “debugging account” to prevent a security vulnerability. SEC Consult said it hasn’t checked to see if the latest fix is effective. It did not release the passwords for either of the hidden accounts. A more detailed advisory from SEC Consult says that backdoors affect many other products besides the NX-1200. AMX officials could not immediately reached for comment. Now that the issue has ostensibly been resolved, SEC Consult wrote that its contact at AMX said the company “will be starting a major security initiative.” Related content analysis BGP: What is border gateway protocol, and how does it work? BGP is how the autonomous networks that make up the internet share routing information to find the best route for IP traffic. CISA describes BGP as 'the most important part of the internet you’ve probably never heard of.' By Keith Shaw May 17, 2024 11 mins Routers Internet Network Security feature Red Hat seeks to be the platform for enterprise AI By Maria Korolov May 17, 2024 12 mins Linux Network Management Software news FCC proposes BGP security measures Protecting the Border Gateway Protocol is as important as protecting the border. By Gyana Swain May 17, 2024 4 mins Regulation Network Security brandpost Sponsored by Zscaler 5 Must-haves for your next DSPM solution Elevating cloud security: Navigating the data storm with DSPM By Kalie Radsmikham, Sr. Director of Product Marketing, Cloud Security May 16, 2024 7 mins Cloud Computing PODCASTS VIDEOS RESOURCES EVENTS NEWSLETTERS Newsletter Promo Module Test Description for newsletter promo module. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe