CVE-2011-5284 in Smoothwall
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the web management interface in httpd/cgi-bin/shutdown.cgi in Smoothwall Express 3.1 and 3.0 SP3 and earlier allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that perform a reboot via a request to cgi-bin/shutdown.cgi.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/01/2024
The CVE-2011-5284 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in the Smoothwall Express firewall appliance web management interface. This vulnerability specifically affects versions 3.1 and 3.0 SP3 and earlier, exposing administrators to unauthorized remote exploitation. The flaw resides in the cgi-bin/shutdown.cgi endpoint which handles system reboot operations, making it a high-value target for attackers seeking to compromise network security infrastructure. The vulnerability stems from the absence of proper authentication verification mechanisms when processing requests to the shutdown endpoint, allowing malicious actors to craft crafted requests that appear to originate from authenticated administrators.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability leverages the web application's trust in legitimate administrative sessions without sufficient validation of the request source or authenticity. When an administrator visits a malicious website or clicks on a crafted link, the attacker can trigger an automatic reboot request to the Smoothwall appliance through the vulnerable shutdown.cgi script. This occurs because the web interface fails to implement anti-CSRF tokens or other protective measures that would verify the legitimacy of the request origin. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no authentication credentials from the attacker, as the malicious request exploits the administrator's existing authenticated session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to represent a serious compromise of network security infrastructure. An attacker with remote access to the network can initiate unauthorized system reboots, potentially causing denial of service, disrupting network connectivity, and creating opportunities for further exploitation. The ability to perform reboots through this vector also provides attackers with a means to potentially reset system configurations or create windows of opportunity for additional attacks. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on Smoothwall Express for network security, where unauthorized rebooting could lead to significant operational disruptions and security breaches.
Mitigation strategies for this CSRF vulnerability should focus on implementing proper request validation mechanisms and authentication checks within the web management interface. The most effective approach involves implementing anti-CSRF tokens that are generated per session and validated on each request to sensitive operations like system reboots. Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication layers and request origin verification to ensure that all administrative operations originate from legitimate sources. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, where adversaries leverage web application flaws to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions. Regular security updates and patches should be implemented immediately, as this vulnerability has been known since 2011 and represents a fundamental flaw in session management and request validation that should have been addressed through proper security controls.