"Cisco Issues Fresh Warning Over Counterfeit Switches"
Cisco has recently issued a "field notice" to advise customers of its Catalyst 2960X/2960XR switches to upgrade the IOS software on their devices to ensure that they are not counterfeit. Counterfeiters often replicate Cisco equipment due to their popularity, but these devices can introduce security vulnerabilities, and the networking giant says they can cause "severe damage" to an organization's network. The company stated that counterfeit devices do not use Cisco hardware, but they still need to run genuine Cisco firmware, and the vendor has several mechanisms in place to detect device counterfeiting. Cisco noted that to detect and mitigate device counterfeiting and malicious attacks on hardware and software, Cisco uses Hardware Trust Anchor, Secure Unique Device Identifier (SUDI), digitally signed software images, secure boot, and other multilayered security approaches to verify the authenticity and integrity of their solutions. These trustworthy technologies run automated checks of hardware and software integrity and can shut down the boot process if a compromise is detected. The company is advising customers using the Catalyst 2960X/2960XR switches to upgrade the IOS software to version 15.2(7)E4 or later to enable the SUDI verification. Cisco noted that this should be done before the devices are added to the network to validate their authenticity. Cisco stated that the illicit grey market for Cisco's gear carries significant risk for customers who buy unauthorized secondhand, third-party, or even stolen networking gear. Cisco's 2960X/2960XR switches have been a flagship product for many years and subsequently have been diverted into the grey market. The company noted that, in addition to introducing security risks, counterfeit devices do not have a valid software license, don't come with a warranty, and are not eligible for certain support plans. Cisco also shared information on how counterfeit devices can be identified and provided detailed instructions for validating the SUDI feature on switches.
SecurityWeek reports: "Cisco Issues Fresh Warning Over Counterfeit Switches"