CVE-2014-3136 in DWR-113
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in D-Link DWR-113 (Rev. Ax) with firmware before 2.03b02 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that change the admin password via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/18/2024
The CVE-2014-3136 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw affecting D-Link DWR-113 wireless routers with firmware versions prior to 2.03b02. This vulnerability resides within the router's web-based administrative interface and specifically targets the password change functionality. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate administrative sessions without requiring valid credentials, effectively compromising the device's security posture. The vulnerability's classification as a CSRF issue stems from the router's failure to implement proper session validation mechanisms when processing administrative requests, making it susceptible to exploitation through malicious web pages or crafted requests that leverage the victim's authenticated session.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the absence of anti-CSRF tokens or other session validation controls within the router's web interface. When administrators access the router's administrative panel, their browser maintains an active session that lacks proper token-based verification for administrative actions. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or exploit existing vulnerabilities in web browsers to submit requests that modify administrative passwords without the user's knowledge or consent. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that the vulnerability could be triggered through various means including phishing attacks, compromised websites, or social engineering campaigns that诱导 administrators to visit malicious sites while maintaining their authenticated sessions. This flaw directly maps to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities and emphasizes the importance of implementing proper anti-CSRF mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations relying on D-Link DWR-113 devices for network security. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability gains complete administrative control over the affected router, enabling them to modify network configurations, change DNS settings, disable security features, and potentially establish persistent access points. The compromise of administrative passwords specifically undermines the device's ability to maintain network security boundaries, as attackers can modify firewall rules, configure port forwarding, and redirect network traffic. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004, which covers application layer protocol usage for command and control communications, as compromised routers can be used as pivoting points for further network infiltration. Organizations may experience significant disruption to network services and potential data breaches when these devices are compromised.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3136 primarily focus on firmware updates and administrative controls. The most effective immediate solution involves upgrading the D-Link DWR-113 firmware to version 2.03b02 or later, which includes proper CSRF protection mechanisms and session validation controls. Network administrators should also implement additional security measures such as disabling remote administration features when not actively required, implementing strong network segmentation, and monitoring for unauthorized configuration changes. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date firmware across all network devices and demonstrates the critical need for regular security assessments of network infrastructure. Organizations should also consider implementing network access controls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious administrative activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Proper security awareness training for network administrators can help prevent social engineering attacks that might leverage this vulnerability, as many exploitation scenarios rely on administrators visiting malicious websites while authenticated to the router interface.