CVE-2015-2676 in RT-G32
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the ASUS RT-G32 routers with firmware 2.0.2.6 and 2.0.3.2 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that change the administrator password via a request to start_apply.htm.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2022
The CVE-2015-2676 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in ASUS RT-G32 router models running firmware versions 2.0.2.6 and 2.0.3.2. This vulnerability resides within the web-based administrative interface of these network devices, creating a significant security risk that can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring any authentication credentials. The flaw specifically affects the password change functionality within the router's management portal, making it particularly dangerous for network administrators who rely on these devices for their network infrastructure security.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF mechanisms in the affected router firmware. When administrators access the router's web interface to modify administrative passwords, the system fails to validate that the requests originate from legitimate sources within the same session. The vulnerable endpoint start_apply.htm does not implement token-based validation or referer header checks that would normally prevent unauthorized requests from being executed. This allows attackers to craft malicious web pages or exploit payloads that, when visited by an authenticated administrator, automatically submit requests to change the router's administrative password without the user's knowledge or explicit consent.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple password modification, as it fundamentally compromises the administrative control of the network infrastructure. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain complete administrative access to the router, potentially leading to unauthorized network configuration changes, DNS hijacking, port forwarding modifications, or even complete network isolation. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet, provided they can somehow convince an administrator to visit a malicious website or click on a crafted link. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery issues in web applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for Valid Accounts and T1566.001 for Phishing, as exploitation often requires social engineering to trick administrators into visiting malicious sites.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2676 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from ASUS, as the vendor has released patches addressing this specific vulnerability. Network administrators should also implement additional protective measures including network segmentation to isolate administrative interfaces, implementing strong access controls for router management, and deploying network monitoring solutions to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date firmware on network infrastructure devices, as outdated systems often contain unpatched security flaws that can be exploited by threat actors. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems that can help identify and block CSRF attack patterns targeting router management interfaces.