CVE-2007-4822 in AirStation WHR-G54S
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the device management interface in Buffalo AirStation WHR-G54S 1.20 allows remote attackers to make configuration changes as an administrator via HTTP requests to certain HTML pages in the res parameter with an inp req parameter to cgi-bin/cgi, as demonstrated by accessing (1) ap.html and (2) filter_ip.html.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2017
The CVE-2007-4822 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in Buffalo AirStation WHR-G54S 1.20 device management interface. This vulnerability resides within the web-based administration portal that governs network device configuration parameters, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this wireless router model. The flaw specifically affects the handling of HTTP requests directed to the res parameter within the res directory, which processes requests through the cgi-bin/cgi interface. Attackers can exploit this weakness to manipulate device settings without authentication, effectively bypassing the normal administrative access controls that should protect sensitive configuration parameters.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper request validation mechanisms within the device's web interface. When legitimate administrative requests are processed through the cgi-bin/cgi endpoint, the system fails to verify the origin or authenticity of incoming requests originating from external sources. The vulnerability specifically manifests when attackers craft malicious HTTP requests that include the res parameter pointing to sensitive pages such as ap.html and filter_ip.html. These pages are designed to manage critical network configuration settings including access point parameters and ip filtering rules. The inp req parameter serves as a trigger mechanism that, when combined with the res parameter, enables the execution of administrative functions without proper authorization, as the device's authentication system does not properly validate the request source.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass complete network compromise potential. An attacker who successfully exploits this CSRF flaw can modify critical network parameters including wireless access settings, ip filtering rules, and potentially gain persistent access to the device management interface. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not require physical access to the device or network proximity to execute attacks, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where network security is paramount. Organizations using this specific router model face significant risks including potential data breaches, unauthorized network access, and complete loss of administrative control over their wireless infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the device's ability to maintain secure configuration states, potentially allowing attackers to establish backdoors or disable security features entirely.
Mitigation strategies for this CSRF vulnerability should prioritize immediate firmware updates from Buffalo to address the identified flaw. Network administrators must implement additional security controls including network segmentation, firewall rules restricting access to the device management interface, and mandatory authentication for all administrative functions. The implementation of anti-CSRF tokens within the web interface would provide a robust defense mechanism against similar vulnerabilities, as recommended by the CWE-352 standard for cross-site request forgery prevention. Organizations should also consider network monitoring solutions capable of detecting anomalous administrative access patterns and unauthorized configuration changes. The ATT&CK framework's T1071.004 technique for application layer protocol tunneling could be leveraged to identify and block malicious request patterns that exploit this vulnerability. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar flaws in other network infrastructure components, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of validating request origins in web-based administrative interfaces.