CVE-2014-4716 in TWG87OUIR
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Thomson TWG87OUIR allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of unspecified victims for requests that change passwords via the Password and PasswordReEnter parameters to goform/RgSecurity.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2024
The CVE-2014-4716 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the Thomson TWG87OUIR router firmware, a device widely deployed in residential and small office environments. This vulnerability resides in the web-based administration interface of the router, specifically within the password change functionality that processes requests through the goform/RgSecurity endpoint. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute unauthorized password modifications against unsuspecting users who are authenticated to the router's web interface, effectively allowing complete takeover of the device's administrative controls. The vulnerability affects the router's authentication handling mechanism where it fails to properly validate the origin of requests attempting to modify sensitive configuration parameters.
The technical exploitation of this CSRF vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the Password and PasswordReEnter parameters within the goform/RgSecurity form handler. When a victim visits a malicious website or clicks on a crafted link while authenticated to the router's web interface, the attacker can construct a request that automatically submits a new password to the router's administration interface. This process bypasses normal authentication checks because the router does not verify that the request originated from the legitimate administration interface rather than a malicious third-party website. The vulnerability stems from the absence of proper CSRF tokens or origin validation mechanisms within the web application, allowing attackers to forge requests that appear to originate from legitimate administrative sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple password modification, as it provides complete administrative control over the affected router. Once an attacker successfully changes the password, they gain full access to the router's configuration interface, enabling them to modify network settings, configure port forwarding rules, disable security features, and potentially establish persistent backdoors. This access can lead to complete network compromise, as the attacker can manipulate DNS settings, redirect traffic, monitor network communications, and create unauthorized access points. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects devices that are often left with default credentials or weak passwords, making them easy targets for exploitation. According to CWE-352, this vulnerability maps directly to the Cross-Site Request Forgery category, specifically demonstrating the failure to implement proper anti-CSRF protection mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The most effective immediate solution involves implementing proper CSRF token validation within the router's web interface, ensuring that each administrative request includes a unique, unpredictable token that is validated against the user's session. Network administrators should also enforce strong password policies and disable unnecessary web administration interfaces where possible. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1078 Valid Accounts and T1566 Phishing, highlighting the need for user awareness training and network monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts. Additionally, regular firmware updates and security audits of network infrastructure components are essential to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and session management in embedded web applications, as outlined in OWASP Top Ten category A05: Security Misconfiguration and the corresponding NIST SP 800-53 controls for access control and session management.