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Critical

Ensure there is no unrestricted inbound access to UDP port 69 (TFTP)

Security & Compliance
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Description

UDP port 69 is commonly used by Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP), a simple file transfer protocol used for booting diskless workstations and other devices. However, allowing unrestricted inbound access to this port can be risky as it can potentially allow unauthorized access to the TFTP server and sensitive data. Therefore, it's important to ensure that access to this port is restricted only to trusted sources and that strong authentication and encryption mechanisms are implemented to secure the communication between the TFTP server and clients.

Remediation

To remediate the issue of unrestricted inbound access to UDP port 69, you can follow these steps:

  1. Identify the TFTP server that is listening on UDP port 69 and determine which firewall is controlling access to it.
  2. Modify the firewall configuration to block all inbound traffic to UDP port 69 except from trusted sources. This can be achieved by creating a rule that only allows traffic from specified IP addresses or networks.
  3. If possible, configure the TFTP server to use a non-standard port for communication, or use VPN or SSH tunneling to access the server securely.
  4. Implement strong authentication and encryption mechanisms to secure the communication between the TFTP server and clients. For example, you can use SSL/TLS certificates or IPsec VPNs to encrypt traffic and ensure that only authorized clients can access the TFTP server.
  5. Regularly review the firewall rules and access logs to ensure that there are no unauthorized attempts to access the TFTP server through UDP port 69.

By following these remediation steps, you can help to reduce the risk of unauthorized access and data theft through UDP port 69, and ensure that your TFTP server is protected against potential security threats.

Enforced Resources
Note: Remediation steps provided by Lightlytics are meant to be suggestions and guidelines only. It is crucial to thoroughly verify and test any remediation steps before applying them to production environments. Each organization's infrastructure and security needs may differ, and blindly applying suggested remediation steps without proper testing could potentially cause unforeseen issues or vulnerabilities. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you validate and customize any remediation steps to meet your organization's specific requirements and ensure that they align with your security policies and best practices.