CVE-2015-4624 in WiFi Pineapple
Summary
by MITRE
Hak5 WiFi Pineapple 2.0 through 2.3 uses predictable CSRF tokens.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/28/2024
The Hak5 WiFi Pineapple is a network penetration testing device designed for wireless network assessment and exploitation. This particular vulnerability affects versions 2.0 through 2.3 of the device's web interface, where the security mechanism fails to properly randomize Cross-Site Request Forgery protection tokens. The predictable nature of these tokens creates a significant security weakness that can be exploited by attackers to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. This vulnerability directly impacts the device's administrative interface, which is critical for network security operations and penetration testing activities.
The technical flaw stems from the implementation of CSRF protection mechanisms within the web application interface of the WiFi Pineapple device. Rather than generating cryptographically secure random tokens for each user session, the device employs a predictable pattern or sequence for these tokens. This predictable behavior allows an attacker to anticipate and reuse valid CSRF tokens, effectively bypassing the intended protection against unauthorized requests. The vulnerability manifests in the device's session management and token generation algorithms, which fail to meet industry standards for secure token creation. This weakness specifically relates to CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery as a critical security vulnerability that allows attackers to perform actions on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial for organizations using WiFi Pineapple devices in their security testing infrastructure. An attacker who can predict the CSRF tokens could potentially execute administrative commands such as changing network configurations, modifying user accounts, accessing sensitive data, or performing other privileged operations within the device's interface. This compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the penetration testing environment, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to the device's network capabilities and use them for malicious purposes. The vulnerability essentially undermines the security controls that the device itself is designed to provide, creating a potential attack vector that could be exploited in both internal and external network environments. Organizations relying on these devices for legitimate security testing may find their own networks at risk due to the compromised device acting as a potential entry point for further attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through firmware updates provided by Hak5, as well as implementing additional network segmentation and access controls around the device. Organizations should ensure that WiFi Pineapple devices are not directly exposed to untrusted networks and that administrative access is restricted to authorized personnel only. Network monitoring should be implemented to detect unusual administrative activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The device should be configured with strong authentication mechanisms and regular security assessments should be conducted to verify that the updated firmware properly implements secure CSRF token generation. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper token generation practices and highlights the need for security-conscious development practices in network security tools, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers credential access through various means including exploitation of predictable security tokens.