CVE-2013-6786 in DSL-2641R
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Allegro RomPager before 4.51, as used on the ZyXEL P660HW-D1, Huawei MT882, Sitecom WL-174, TP-LINK TD-8816, and D-Link DSL-2640R and DSL-2641R, when the "forbidden author header" protection mechanism is bypassed, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML by requesting a nonexistent URI in conjunction with a crafted HTTP Referer header that is not properly handled in a 404 page. NOTE: there is no CVE for a "URL redirection" issue that some sources list separately.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2022
The CVE-2013-6786 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Allegro RomPager versions prior to 4.51, affecting multiple networking devices from vendors including ZyXEL, Huawei, Sitecom, TP-LINK, and D-Link. This vulnerability resides in the web server component of these devices and specifically exploits a weakness in how the system handles HTTP Referer headers during 404 error responses. The flaw occurs when the "forbidden author header" protection mechanism is bypassed, allowing attackers to manipulate the device's response to malformed URI requests. This vulnerability demonstrates a classic input validation failure where the device fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into web page responses.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to craft a specific HTTP Referer header that, when processed during a 404 error condition, results in the execution of malicious JavaScript code within the context of a victim's browser session. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize input data, specifically in the context of web application security where user-controllable data is directly embedded into HTML output without proper encoding or validation. The attack vector operates through a combination of malformed URI requests and crafted HTTP headers, making it particularly insidious as it can be executed without requiring authentication or physical access to the device.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute arbitrary commands on the affected devices. When exploited successfully, this vulnerability allows remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to the device's web interface and potentially compromise the entire network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects a wide range of consumer and enterprise networking equipment, making it particularly dangerous as it impacts devices that are often deployed in unsecured environments and may not receive regular security updates.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-6786 should include immediate firmware updates to Allegro RomPager version 4.51 or later, which contain proper input sanitization mechanisms for HTTP headers. Network administrators should also implement additional security controls such as web application firewalls, regular security audits, and monitoring for suspicious HTTP Referer header patterns. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection and T1566 for social engineering attacks through malicious web content. Organizations should also consider network segmentation to limit the potential impact of exploitation and ensure that affected devices are not directly exposed to untrusted networks. Regular vulnerability assessments and security testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other network components and ensure comprehensive protection against similar attack vectors.