CVE-2008-0524 in Rtx1100
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the management interface in multiple Yamaha RT series routers allows remote attackers to change password settings and probably other configuration settings as administrators via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/09/2017
The CVE-2008-0524 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the management interfaces of multiple Yamaha RT series routers. This vulnerability resides within the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the router's web-based administration system, specifically targeting the session management and request validation processes. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate administrative functions without proper authentication, creating a significant security risk for network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the router's ability to distinguish between legitimate administrative requests and maliciously crafted requests originating from external sources.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms within the router's management interface. When administrators access the router's web interface, the system fails to adequately verify the origin of requests, allowing attackers to craft malicious web pages or exploit existing vulnerabilities to trick authenticated users into performing administrative actions. This flaw operates at the application layer, specifically within the HTTP request processing logic of the router's web server component. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-352 - Cross-Site Request Forgery, which is a well-documented weakness in web application security that has been consistently identified as a critical threat in the OWASP Top Ten security risks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple password changes, as the description indicates that attackers can potentially modify other configuration settings with administrative privileges. This capability allows threat actors to gain persistent access to network infrastructure, modify firewall rules, change network configurations, and potentially establish backdoors for future access. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no special privileges or credentials from the attacker, as they can leverage existing administrator sessions to perform malicious actions. This creates a scenario where a single compromised user session could lead to complete network takeover, making the vulnerability especially attractive to attackers who may have already gained initial access through other means.
The attack surface for this vulnerability includes any network administrator who accesses the router's management interface from a location where they might be exposed to malicious web content. The flaw is particularly concerning in environments where administrators access router management interfaces from public or untrusted networks, as these sessions are more susceptible to CSRF attacks. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1078 - Valid Accounts and T1566 - Phishing, as attackers can leverage compromised administrator sessions to maintain persistent access. The vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of implementing proper session management and request validation controls, which are fundamental requirements in secure web application development practices.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve immediate firmware updates from Yamaha, as the company would have released patches addressing the CSRF implementation flaws in their management interfaces. Network administrators should also implement additional protective measures such as restricting administrative access to specific IP addresses, implementing multi-factor authentication, and monitoring for unusual administrative activities. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their network infrastructure to identify similar vulnerabilities in other devices, as this type of flaw often appears in legacy network equipment. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date network equipment and implementing proper security controls to prevent unauthorized access to critical infrastructure components.