CVE-2014-7281 in A32
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Shenzhen Tenda Technology Tenda A32 Router with firmware 5.07.53_CN allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that reboot the device via a request to goform/SysToolReboot.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/07/2024
The CVE-2014-7281 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the Tenda A32 router firmware version 5.07.53_CN produced by Shenzhen Tenda Technology. This vulnerability exposes the device to remote exploitation where unauthorized attackers can manipulate administrative sessions to execute privileged commands without proper authentication. The flaw specifically resides in the router's web interface handling of system management requests, particularly those related to device reboot operations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it allows attackers to perform administrative actions on the device without requiring valid credentials or session tokens, effectively bypassing the authentication mechanism that should protect such critical functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms within the affected firmware. When a user accesses the router's web interface and maintains an active administrative session, the device fails to validate the origin of requests made to the goform/SysToolReboot endpoint. This endpoint is designed to handle system reboot commands, but due to insufficient validation of request sources, malicious actors can craft specially formatted requests that appear legitimate to the router. The vulnerability operates by exploiting the browser's automatic inclusion of cookies for the target domain, which contain the administrative session information, thereby enabling unauthorized command execution through forged requests that originate from external domains.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple device rebooting to encompass potential complete system compromise and network disruption. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can repeatedly reboot the device, causing denial of service conditions that disrupt network connectivity for all connected devices. More critically, the ability to execute administrative commands without authentication opens pathways for further exploitation, potentially allowing attackers to modify router configurations, change administrative passwords, or install malicious firmware. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications, and represents a fundamental failure in implementing proper request validation and origin checking mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-7281 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from Tenda Technology, as the vendor has likely released patches addressing this specific vulnerability. Network administrators should implement additional protective measures including disabling remote administrative access to router interfaces, restricting access through firewall rules, and employing network segmentation to limit exposure. The implementation of anti-CSRF tokens within the web interface would provide a robust defense mechanism, requiring each request to include a unique token that validates the request source and prevents unauthorized command execution. Organizations should also consider monitoring network traffic for suspicious patterns related to router management requests and implementing intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of applying the principle of least privilege in network device management and highlights the critical need for robust authentication mechanisms in embedded systems. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1072, which addresses Application Deployment and Execution, and T1566, which covers Credential Access through social engineering and exploitation of web application vulnerabilities, emphasizing the multi-faceted nature of the security risk posed by such flaws.