So why should cable operators care about cable modem MAC address cloning? Lost Revenue and Legal Liability. Contacting the vendor or an expert in the field might be your best bet. In order for it to work properly the correct steps need to be followed. Turning on BPI+ is an easy solution but that does not mean it is a mindless exercise. Turning on BPI+ is such a solution, as I have discussed these topics in past posts and at SCTE lectures. Usually due to lack of understanding of the possible solution and the importance of it. I have been in many systems where even basic steps have not been implemented. However, securing a DOCSIS network against simple cloning is reasonably straight forward. So they may look for a MAC address that has paid for service, such as their neighbor, clone that address onto their cable modem, and then start getting free service.Īs you might have guessed cloning a MAC address is easy enough that even a cave man can do it or at least someone motivated. So if someone has a cable modem that they have not purchased service for, then their MAC address will not be in the database. Before the DHCP server will give the cable modem an IP address it will first check with a server to see if the MAC address of the cable modem is allowed to be on the network, if the subscriber has paid their bill and what speed service the subscriber should receive. Why clone a MAC address? In order to have a cable modem register with the CMTS it must get an IP address from a DHCP server. Whether the MAC address is altered in the hardware or in software it is still called cloning. What is MAC Address Cloning? It is changing the MAC address on a cable modem so that it matches the address of some other cable modem, ideally one that has been provisioned on the cable system. It is difficult to change the physical MAC address in hardware, so often the process of cloning is accomplished by emulating a new MAC address in software. This address is programmed into a writable memory address of the hardware in the cable modem, and is associated with a specific user account. Each cable modem, regardless of brand, is uniquely identified by its Cable Modems ID, or MAC address – short for Media Access Control. There are dozens of websites out there giving subscribers or hackers step by step instructions on how to clone a MAC address. DOCSIS Security – If only cloning your favorite pet was as easy as cloning a MAC address on a cable modem.
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