CVE-2013-3312 in Nexus 543 IP Camera
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in the Loftek Nexus 543 IP Camera allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of unspecified victims for requests that change (1) passwords or (2) firewall configuration, as demonstrated by a request to set_users.cgi.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2024
The CVE-2013-3312 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the Loftek Nexus 543 IP Camera firmware, exposing the device to unauthorized administrative actions by remote attackers. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the authentication mechanisms of the camera's web interface, creating a significant security risk for users who rely on the device for network monitoring and security purposes. The flaw stems from the camera's failure to implement proper CSRF protection measures, allowing malicious actors to craft specially crafted requests that appear to originate from legitimate authenticated sessions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the camera's web server failing to validate the origin of incoming requests or verify the presence of anti-CSRF tokens in critical administrative operations. When an attacker crafts a malicious request to the set_users.cgi endpoint, the camera processes the request without proper session validation, enabling unauthorized modification of user accounts and firewall configurations. This vulnerability specifically affects two critical operational areas: password changes and firewall configuration modifications, both of which represent high-impact administrative functions that could completely compromise the device's security posture. The flaw demonstrates a classic CSRF attack pattern where the attacker leverages the victim's existing authenticated session to perform unauthorized actions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with complete control over the camera's administrative functions and network security settings. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can modify user credentials to establish persistent access, alter firewall rules to allow unauthorized network access, or potentially redirect the device to malicious services. The implications are particularly severe for network security infrastructure, as IP cameras often serve as critical components in security monitoring systems, and their compromise can lead to complete network infiltration. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and authentication integrity, as it allows unauthorized modification of system-critical parameters without proper verification of the request source or user authorization.
Security professionals should implement multiple mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability, beginning with immediate firmware updates from the vendor when available, though this specific vulnerability may not have received official patches. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit direct internet access to IP cameras, while implementing proper firewall rules to restrict administrative access to trusted networks only. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and represents a clear violation of the web application security principle that all administrative operations should require proper anti-CSRF token validation. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect unusual administrative activity patterns and establish proper network access controls to prevent lateral movement if an attacker compromises the device. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1566 for credential access, highlighting the multi-stage attack potential that such a vulnerability enables.