CVE-2012-4746 in ZXDSL
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in accessaccount.cgi in ZTE ZXDSL 831IIV7.5.0a_Z29_OV allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that change the administrator password via the sysPassword parameter.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2024
The CVE-2012-4746 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in the ZTE ZXDSL 831IIV7.5.0a_Z29_OV router firmware, specifically within the accessaccount.cgi web interface component. This vulnerability resides in the authentication handling mechanism of the device's administrative web portal, where the system fails to properly validate the origin of requests attempting to modify administrative credentials. The flaw manifests through the sysPassword parameter which controls password changes, making it susceptible to unauthorized modifications when exploited by remote attackers.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms within the accessaccount.cgi script. When administrators access the web interface to change their password, the system accepts requests containing the sysPassword parameter without verifying that the request originated from a legitimate administrative session. This design flaw allows attackers to craft malicious web pages or send specially crafted requests that, when executed by an authenticated administrator, would silently change the administrator password without their knowledge or consent. The vulnerability specifically targets the administrative account, making it particularly dangerous as it grants attackers full control over the router's configuration and access to all network services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the affected ZTE router. Once exploited, an attacker can modify not only the administrator password but potentially access other sensitive configuration parameters, disable security features, modify network settings, and establish persistent access to the network infrastructure. This represents a significant compromise of network security, as the router becomes a potential entry point for further attacks within the local network. The vulnerability affects all users of the specified ZTE router model, particularly those who maintain administrative access through the web interface, and poses a substantial risk to organizations relying on these devices for network connectivity and security.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-4746 should include immediate firmware updates from ZTE to address the CSRF implementation flaw, though given the age of the affected firmware version, such updates may not be available. Network administrators should implement additional protective measures including disabling the web interface for administrative tasks, using static IP addressing for the router's management interface, and implementing network segmentation to limit access to administrative functions. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which categorizes cross-site request forgery as a common web application security weakness, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts and T1566 for phishing attacks that could be leveraged to exploit this vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect unusual password change patterns and establish secure remote access methods that do not rely on vulnerable web interfaces.