CVE-2014-7857 in DNS-320B
Summary
by MITRE
D-Link DNS-320L firmware before 1.04b12, DNS-327L before 1.03b04 Build0119, DNR-326 1.40b03, DNS-320B 1.02b01, DNS-345 1.03b06, DNS-325 1.05b03, and DNS-322L 2.00b07 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and log in with administrator permissions by passing the cgi_set_wto command in the cmd parameter, and setting the spawned session's cookie to username=admin.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7857 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw affecting multiple D-Link network attached storage devices including the DNS-320L, DNS-327L, DNR-326, DNS-320B, DNS-345, DNS-325, and DNS-322L models. This issue stems from improper input validation and session management within the web interface firmware implementations of these devices. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication mechanisms, specifically focusing on weak session management and inadequate validation of user credentials. The flaw exists in the command execution interface where the cgi_set_wto parameter can be manipulated to spawn administrative sessions without proper authentication verification.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully crafted HTTP request that leverages the cmd parameter to execute the cgi_set_wto command. When an attacker passes this specific command with the administrative username set in the session cookie, the system creates an authenticated administrative session without requiring legitimate credentials. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the authentication flow where the system fails to validate the legitimacy of the session creation request. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows remote attackers to gain full administrative privileges on affected devices, potentially enabling them to modify configurations, access stored data, and perform other malicious activities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass complete system compromise of affected D-Link devices. Attackers can leverage this flaw to establish persistent administrative access, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system modification, or use of the compromised devices as entry points for broader network attacks. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials use, and T1566 which involves social engineering through compromised credentials. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers do not require physical access to the devices, making the attack surface significantly larger and more dangerous for organizations using these storage solutions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate firmware updates from D-Link to address the authentication bypass issue, as well as network segmentation to limit access to these devices. Organizations should implement strict firewall rules restricting access to the web management interfaces of these devices to trusted IP addresses only. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual command execution patterns and session creation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure session management practices and proper input validation in embedded web interfaces, with recommendations aligning with NIST SP 800-53 security controls for authentication and session management. Regular security audits of network infrastructure components should be conducted to identify similar authentication bypass vulnerabilities in other network devices and firmware implementations.