CVE-2016-1000213 in less
Summary
by MITRE
Ruckus Wireless H500 web management interface CSRF
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/18/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1000213 affects the Ruckus Wireless H500 access point device, specifically targeting its web management interface through a cross-site request forgery flaw. This issue resides within the device's authentication and authorization mechanisms, allowing unauthorized users to perform administrative actions without proper credentials. The vulnerability stems from the web interface failing to implement adequate anti-CSRF protection measures, making it susceptible to attacks where malicious actors can trick authenticated users into executing unintended commands on the device. Such a flaw represents a significant security weakness in network infrastructure equipment, as it undermines the fundamental security model of requiring proper authentication for administrative access.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability involves the web management interface not properly validating the origin of requests or requiring anti-CSRF tokens for critical operations. When users navigate to the device's web interface and remain authenticated, attackers can craft malicious web pages or exploit existing user sessions to send forged requests that appear legitimate to the device. These requests can modify device configurations, reset passwords, or perform other administrative functions without the user's knowledge or consent. The flaw typically manifests when the device accepts requests that should require explicit user confirmation or token validation before executing administrative changes, creating a pathway for unauthorized configuration modifications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can enable complete compromise of the wireless access point and potentially the broader network segment it serves. An attacker exploiting this CSRF flaw can modify wireless settings, disable security features, or redirect traffic through the compromised device, creating potential for man-in-the-middle attacks or network disruption. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where wireless infrastructure is critical for business operations, as it could lead to unauthorized network access, data exfiltration, or service interruption. Network administrators may face challenges in detecting such attacks since they appear to originate from legitimate authenticated sessions, making forensic analysis more complex.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, beginning with immediate firmware updates from Ruckus to address the CSRF implementation flaw. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enforced to limit exposure of wireless infrastructure to untrusted networks, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect unusual configuration changes or unauthorized administrative activities. The implementation of proper anti-CSRF token mechanisms and request validation should be mandatory for all web-based administrative interfaces, aligning with security best practices outlined in the CWE-352 category for Cross-Site Request Forgery. Additionally, security awareness training for network administrators can help identify potential social engineering attacks that might exploit this vulnerability, while regular security assessments should verify that similar CSRF flaws do not exist in other network management interfaces. This vulnerability exemplifies the importance of implementing robust input validation and session management controls in network infrastructure devices, as recommended by various cybersecurity frameworks including the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and MITRE ATT&CK matrix categories related to privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms.