CVE-2012-1922 in WLM-2501
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in Sitecom WLM-2501 allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that modify settings for (1) Mac Filtering via admin/formFilter, (2) IP/Port Filtering via formFilter, (3) Port Forwarding via formPortFw, (4) Wireless Access Control via admin/formWlAc, (5) Wi-Fi Protected Setup via formWsc, (6) URL Blocking Filter via formURL, (7) Domain Blocking Filter via formDOMAINBLK, and (8) IP Address ACL Filter via admin/formACL in goform/, different vectors than CVE-2012-1921.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2024
The CVE-2012-1922 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery issue affecting Sitecom WLM-2501 wireless network devices, exposing administrators to unauthorized privilege escalation through malicious web requests. This vulnerability specifically targets the device's administrative interface located at the goform/ directory, where multiple configuration settings can be modified without proper authentication verification. The flaw allows remote attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to originate from authenticated administrators, effectively bypassing the authentication mechanisms that should protect sensitive network configuration operations. The vulnerability affects eight distinct administrative functions including MAC filtering, IP/port filtering, port forwarding, wireless access control, Wi-Fi protected setup, URL blocking, domain blocking, and IP address ACL filtering, making it particularly dangerous as it encompasses a broad range of network security controls.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms within the administrative forms of the Sitecom WLM-2501 device. When administrators access the various configuration pages through the goform/ directory, the device fails to validate that requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions. This design flaw allows attackers to construct malicious web pages or exploit existing network conditions to submit requests that modify network settings without requiring valid authentication credentials. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the web-based management interface, making it particularly relevant to the CWE-352 category of Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities. The attack vector requires only that an administrator visits a malicious web page or that the attacker can leverage existing network conditions to deliver the malicious requests.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables attackers to gain unauthorized administrative control over network infrastructure, potentially leading to complete network compromise. Once exploited, attackers can modify critical network security settings such as MAC filtering rules that control device access, IP/port filtering configurations that restrict network traffic, and port forwarding rules that expose internal services to external threats. The ability to manipulate wireless access control and Wi-Fi protected setup parameters creates additional attack vectors for network infiltration and persistent access. Furthermore, the URL blocking, domain blocking, and IP address ACL filtering modifications can be used to redirect traffic or disable security controls, potentially allowing attackers to establish persistent backdoors or facilitate further attacks against connected devices. This vulnerability directly impacts the CIA triad by compromising Confidentiality through unauthorized access to network configurations, Integrity through unauthorized modification of security policies, and Availability through potential disruption of network services.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-1922 should focus on immediate firmware updates from Sitecom to address the CSRF implementation flaws in the device's web interface. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of these administrative interfaces to trusted networks only. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual configuration changes that might indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of proper anti-CSRF token validation mechanisms should be enforced in all web-based administrative interfaces, as specified in OWASP CSRF prevention guidelines. Additionally, network administrators should disable unnecessary administrative services and implement strong access controls including multi-factor authentication for administrative access. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1566 which covers credential harvesting, making it particularly dangerous when combined with other attack vectors. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar implementation flaws in other network infrastructure devices, as the lack of proper CSRF protection is a common pattern in embedded network devices that often lack robust security engineering practices.