CVE-2008-6824 in WL54AP2
Summary
by MITRE
The management interface on the A-LINK WL54AP3 and WL54AP2 access points has a blank default password for the admin account, which makes it easier for remote attackers to obtain access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/09/2024
The CVE-2008-6824 vulnerability affects A-LINK WL54AP3 and WL54AP2 wireless access points where the management interface suffers from a critical security flaw involving a blank default password for the administrative account. This vulnerability represents a fundamental failure in secure configuration practices and exposes these devices to unauthorized remote access attempts. The issue stems from the manufacturer's decision to leave the admin account password field empty by default, creating an obvious and easily exploitable entry point for malicious actors. This configuration flaw directly violates industry security best practices and demonstrates poor security by design principles.
From a technical perspective, the vulnerability occurs at the authentication layer of the device's web management interface where the system accepts blank credentials without requiring proper authentication. When an attacker connects to the access point's management interface, they can simply leave the password field empty and gain administrative privileges. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-255, which specifically addresses issues related to credentials that are not properly validated or handled. The flaw creates a persistent security weakness that remains active until the device is physically accessed or the configuration is manually corrected by an authorized administrator.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant and far-reaching for organizations deploying these access points. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to gain complete administrative control over the wireless access points, potentially leading to unauthorized network access, configuration changes, data interception, and the ability to create backdoors. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform actions such as modifying wireless settings, changing SSIDs, disabling security features, or even installing malicious firmware. This represents a critical risk in enterprise environments where wireless infrastructure security is paramount. The threat landscape for this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1046 which involves network service scanning, as attackers can easily identify and exploit these devices through network reconnaissance.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-6824 require immediate action from network administrators to address the root cause. The primary remediation involves physically accessing the devices and setting strong, unique passwords for administrative accounts, ensuring that default credentials are never left in place. Network segmentation should be implemented to isolate these devices from critical network segments, and regular security audits should be conducted to identify any other devices with similar configuration flaws. Organizations should also implement network monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized access attempts to management interfaces and establish baseline configurations that prevent blank passwords from being set. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of firmware updates and vendor security assessments to ensure that all network infrastructure components maintain proper security configurations throughout their operational lifecycle.