CVE-2004-1550 in Wr850g
Summary
by MITRE
Motorola Wireless Router WR850G running firmware 4.03 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication, log on as an administrator, and obtain sensitive information by repeatedly making an HTTP request for ver.asp until an administrator logs on.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1550 affects Motorola Wireless Router WR850G devices operating with firmware version 4.03, representing a significant authentication bypass flaw that exposes critical network infrastructure to unauthorized access. This weakness stems from a design flaw in the router's web-based management interface where the system fails to properly validate authentication attempts, creating a window of opportunity for malicious actors to exploit the device's administrative functions without proper credentials. The vulnerability specifically targets the ver.asp page within the router's web interface, which serves as a critical entry point for administrative access and system information retrieval.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves a race condition or state management issue within the router's HTTP request processing mechanism. When an attacker repeatedly submits HTTP requests to the ver.asp endpoint, the system's authentication state becomes inconsistent, allowing unauthorized access to administrative functions. This particular vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication scenarios, and demonstrates how inadequate session management can lead to privilege escalation. The flaw essentially creates a timing-based authentication bypass where repeated requests can interfere with the legitimate administrator's login process, effectively hijacking the authentication flow.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables complete administrative control over the affected router, including configuration changes, network monitoring, and potential data exfiltration. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access points, modify firewall rules, redirect traffic, or even install malicious firmware updates. The remote nature of this exploit means that attackers do not require physical access to the device or network presence, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise and home network environments. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1078 for valid accounts and T1046 for network service scanning, as it enables unauthorized administrative access through legitimate authentication pathways.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-1550 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from Motorola to address the authentication bypass flaw, as the manufacturer likely released patches specifically targeting this vulnerability. Network administrators should implement additional security controls including disabling remote administration features when not actively needed, restricting access to administrative interfaces through firewall rules, and implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of compromise. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper session management and authentication state handling in embedded network devices, highlighting the need for robust security testing of firmware components. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous HTTP request patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, as the repeated requests characteristic of this attack can serve as an indicator of compromise.