CVE-2009-2272 in D100 Router
Summary
by MITRE
The Huawei D100 stores the administrator s account name and password in cleartext in a cookie, which allows context-dependent attackers to obtain sensitive information by (1) reading a cookie file, by (2) sniffing the network for HTTP headers, and possibly by using unspecified other vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/14/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-2272 represents a critical security flaw in Huawei D100 devices that fundamentally compromises authentication mechanisms through improper credential handling. This issue manifests as a clear text storage of administrative credentials within HTTP cookies, creating a persistent security risk that persists beyond the typical session lifecycle. The vulnerability stems from inadequate security practices in cookie management where sensitive authentication data is not properly encrypted or obfuscated, leaving administrative credentials exposed to various attack vectors that can be exploited by context-dependent adversaries.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the device's web interface storing administrative account names and passwords in plain text format within HTTP cookies that are transmitted between the client and server. This practice directly violates established security principles for credential management and demonstrates a significant failure in secure coding practices. The cleartext storage occurs at the application layer where authentication tokens should be protected through encryption, hashing, or other cryptographic means to prevent unauthorized access. The vulnerability specifically affects the web-based management interface of the Huawei D100 device, where administrative sessions are maintained through cookie-based authentication mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with persistent administrative access to the device that can be maintained across multiple sessions. Attackers can exploit this weakness through multiple vectors including direct cookie file reading, network sniffing for HTTP headers containing the cleartext credentials, and potentially other unspecified attack vectors that may involve session hijacking or man-in-the-middle attacks. This vulnerability creates a persistent backdoor that remains active until the device is rebooted or the cookies are manually cleared, allowing attackers to maintain long-term access to the network infrastructure. The risk is particularly severe because administrative access provides complete control over device configuration, network settings, and potentially access to connected systems.
The security implications align with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and represent a fundamental violation of secure authentication practices. This vulnerability can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566 (Phishing for Information) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) when considering network-based exploitation vectors. Organizations using Huawei D100 devices face significant risk of unauthorized access, potential network compromise, and data exfiltration. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor adherence to security best practices such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-63B for authentication and the OWASP Top Ten security risks. Mitigation strategies should include immediate device firmware updates, implementation of network monitoring to detect suspicious HTTP traffic, enforcement of encrypted communication protocols, and comprehensive security audits of network infrastructure to identify similar vulnerabilities in other devices.