CVE-2013-0126 in Fios Actiontec Mi424wr-gen31 Router
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in index.cgi on the Verizon FIOS Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I router with firmware 40.19.36 allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that (1) add administrative accounts via the username and user_level parameters or (2) enable remote administration via the is_telnet_primary and is_telnet_secondary parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/12/2024
The CVE-2013-0126 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw affecting the Verizon FIOS Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I router firmware version 40.19.36. This vulnerability resides in the index.cgi web interface component of the router's firmware, creating a significant security risk for network administrators who rely on this device for their home or small office networks. The flaw enables remote attackers to exploit the router's authentication mechanism without requiring valid credentials, effectively allowing unauthorized individuals to assume administrative control over the device.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper authentication tokens or validation mechanisms within the affected web interface. When administrators access the router's management interface, the index.cgi script processes administrative requests without verifying that these requests originate from legitimate authenticated sessions. Attackers can construct malicious web pages or exploit existing vulnerabilities in web browsers to automatically submit requests to the router's administration interface, thereby executing unauthorized administrative actions. The vulnerability specifically targets two critical administrative functions: the addition of new administrative accounts through the username and user_level parameters, and the enabling of remote administration capabilities via the is_telnet_primary and is_telnet_secondary parameters.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it fundamentally compromises the security posture of networks protected by the affected router. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can establish persistent administrative access to the router, potentially creating backdoor accounts that remain undetected for extended periods. The ability to enable remote administration via telnet protocols creates additional attack vectors, as telnet is inherently insecure and transmits credentials in plaintext. This vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in the CWE-352 framework, which classifies CSRF vulnerabilities as weaknesses that allow attackers to perform actions on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent.
Network administrators face severe consequences when this vulnerability is exploited, including potential complete network compromise, unauthorized data exfiltration, and the ability to redirect network traffic through malicious proxy configurations. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the router or knowledge of the local network topology to exploit it. This characteristic aligns with the ATT&CK framework's concept of initial access through web application attacks, where adversaries leverage application vulnerabilities to establish footholds within target networks. The exploitation of such vulnerabilities often serves as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, including credential harvesting, network reconnaissance, and lateral movement within the compromised network environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-0126 require immediate action from affected organizations, including firmware updates from Verizon or Actiontec, network segmentation to isolate the affected device, and the implementation of network monitoring to detect unauthorized administrative access attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining current firmware versions and implementing proper network security controls, as outlined in industry standards such as NIST SP 800-40 and ISO/IEC 27001. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and network access controls to prevent unauthorized access to administrative interfaces, while regularly auditing router configurations to ensure that unnecessary administrative services remain disabled.