CVE-2012-1308 in DSL-2640B
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in redpass.cgi in D-Link DSL-2640B Firmware EU_4.00 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that change the administrator password via the sysPassword parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2024
The CVE-2012-1308 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in the D-Link DSL-2640B router firmware version EU_4.00, specifically within the redpass.cgi web interface component. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-352 category, which classifies cross-site request forgery as a weakness where an attacker can trick authenticated users into performing unintended actions on a web application. The flaw exists in the authentication mechanism of the router's administrative interface, making it susceptible to unauthorized privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows remote attackers to manipulate administrative functions without requiring valid credentials, effectively bypassing the authentication layer that should protect critical system settings.
The technical exploitation of this CSRF vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the sysPassword parameter within the redpass.cgi script. When an administrator visits a malicious website or clicks on a crafted link, the attacker can trigger an automatic request to the router's administrative interface that changes the administrator password. This occurs because the router does not implement proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms to ensure that requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it targets the core authentication mechanism of the device, allowing attackers to completely compromise administrative access without any prior knowledge of existing passwords. The attack vector is entirely remote, meaning no physical access or local network presence is required for exploitation, making it a significant threat to network security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple password changes, as it provides complete administrative control over the D-Link DSL-2640B router. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can modify network configurations, disable security features, change network settings, and potentially gain access to the entire network infrastructure. This represents a critical compromise of network security boundaries, as routers serve as gateways between internal networks and external threats. The vulnerability affects the device's ability to maintain secure administrative sessions, undermining the fundamental security model of network devices that rely on proper authentication mechanisms to protect against unauthorized access. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability maps to the ATT&CK technique T1078 which involves valid accounts and T1566 which involves credential harvesting, making it a significant threat to enterprise network security.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-1308 require immediate firmware updates from D-Link to address the CSRF implementation flaw in the redpass.cgi component. Network administrators should also implement network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces and deploy web application firewalls to detect and block malicious CSRF requests. Additional protective measures include disabling remote administrative access where possible, implementing strong access controls for administrative interfaces, and regularly monitoring router logs for suspicious activities. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and authentication mechanisms in network device firmware, as outlined in security standards such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control lists to restrict access to administrative ports and ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive network configuration interfaces. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning of network infrastructure should be conducted to identify similar implementation flaws in other network devices and firmware components.