CVE-2013-2645 in TL-WR1043N
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities on the TP-LINK WR1043N router with firmware TL-WR1043ND_V1_120405 allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that (1) enable FTP access (aka "FTP directory traversal") to /tmp via the shareEntire parameter to userRpm/NasFtpCfgRpm.htm, (2) change the FTP administrative password via the nas_admin_pwd parameter to userRpm/NasUserAdvRpm.htm, (3) enable FTP on the WAN interface via the internetA parameter to userRpm/NasFtpCfgRpm.htm, (4) launch the FTP service via the startFtp parameter to userRpm/NasFtpCfgRpm.htm, or (5) enable or disable bandwidth limits via the QoSCtrl parameter to userRpm/QoSCfgRpm.htm.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2024
The CVE-2013-2645 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw affecting TP-LINK WR1043N routers running firmware version TL-WR1043ND_V1_120405. This vulnerability resides in the web-based administration interface of the router and allows remote attackers to manipulate administrative functions without proper authentication. The flaw stems from the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms within the router's web interface, specifically in the handling of parameters related to network services and user management. The vulnerability impacts the router's ability to maintain secure administrative sessions and can lead to unauthorized modifications of critical network configurations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of specific parameters within the router's web interface. Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by crafting malicious web pages that automatically submit requests to the router's administration interface. The affected parameters include shareEntire for FTP directory traversal, nas_admin_pwd for changing administrative passwords, internetA for enabling WAN FTP access, startFtp for launching FTP services, and QoSCtrl for bandwidth limit configuration. These parameters are processed without proper CSRF tokens or session validation, allowing unauthorized users to perform administrative actions. The vulnerability affects the router's userRpm directory and specifically targets the NasFtpCfgRpm.htm and NasUserAdvRpm.htm pages, which handle FTP configuration and user management functions respectively. This flaw directly maps to CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities, and represents a failure in implementing proper authentication and authorization controls.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-2645 is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with comprehensive control over the router's network services and administrative functions. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can remotely enable FTP access to the router's /tmp directory, potentially allowing for arbitrary file access and modification. The ability to change FTP administrative passwords compromises the router's credential management and can lead to persistent unauthorized access. Enabling FTP on the WAN interface exposes the router to external attacks and can facilitate further network penetration. The capability to launch FTP services remotely can be used to establish persistent backdoors or facilitate data exfiltration. Additionally, the ability to modify bandwidth limits can disrupt network services and potentially enable denial-of-service conditions. These capabilities align with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as attackers can leverage the compromised router for further network operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-2645 should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The most effective immediate solution involves updating the router firmware to a version that includes CSRF protection mechanisms and proper parameter validation. Network administrators should disable remote administration access to routers when possible and restrict access to trusted IP addresses only. Implementing proper network segmentation can limit the impact of such vulnerabilities by isolating administrative access to specific network segments. The router's web interface should be configured to use secure protocols only and should implement proper CSRF token validation for all administrative requests. Regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in network infrastructure devices, as this type of flaw commonly affects embedded systems and network appliances. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized configuration changes to network devices, which would help identify exploitation attempts of this vulnerability. The implementation of proper access controls and authentication mechanisms, including multi-factor authentication where possible, can significantly reduce the risk of successful exploitation. Additionally, network administrators should regularly review and update security configurations, ensuring that default credentials are changed and unnecessary services are disabled to minimize the attack surface.