Cisco has issued a “field notice” to advise customers of its Catalyst 2960X/2960XR switches to upgrade the IOS software on their devices in order to ensure that they are not counterfeit, reports Security Week.
According to the news item, Cisco equipment is often replicated by counterfeiters, but these devices can introduce security vulnerabilities and the networking giant says they can cause “severe damage” to an organisation’s network.
“In order 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 our solutions,” Cisco said in its latest notification. “These trustworthy technologies run automated checks of hardware and software integrity and can shut down the boot process if a compromise is detected.”
“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,” Cisco said.
Astute is a highly accredited, quality-driven procurement expert, with a list of clients that includes the world’s leading defence suppliers. Our mission is to shield you against inferior quality products and services. As such, our operations are run in accordance with quality processes including AS6081 that mitigates the risks of purchasing and supplying fraudulent/counterfeit electronic parts.
The bespoke Astute Counterfeit Avoidance Programme (ACAP) is market-leading in its process and offers a secure, warranted route for these occasions. For parts obtained through non-traceable routes, Astute will subject products to rigorous destructive and non-destructive testing through their ACAP scheme, encompassing the AS6081 anti-counterfeit standards.
For more help with looking at counterfeit mitigation, contact Astute Electronics
