CVE-2016-10314 in Air:Link 3G
Summary
by MITRE
Jensen of Scandinavia AS Air:Link 3G (AL3G) version 2.23m (Rev. 3), Air:Link 5000AC (AL5000AC) version 1.13, and Air:Link 59300 (AL59300) version 1.04 (Rev. 4) devices allow remote attackers to read passwords via a direct request to the x.asp page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/25/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10314 affects several models of Air:Link 3G and Air:Link 5000 series devices manufactured by Jensen of Scandinavia AS. These devices operate within the telecommunications and networking infrastructure, specifically designed for 3G and wireless connectivity solutions. The affected models include the Air:Link 3G (AL3G) version 2.23m (Rev. 3), Air:Link 5000AC (AL5000AC) version 1.13, and Air:Link 59300 (AL59300) version 1.04 (Rev. 4). These devices are commonly deployed in industrial and commercial environments where secure network connectivity is essential for operations and monitoring systems.
The technical flaw resides in the web interface configuration of these devices, specifically in how they handle requests to the x.asp page. This vulnerability represents a classic case of insufficient access control and improper authentication mechanisms, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to directly access sensitive configuration data. The vulnerability stems from the device's failure to implement proper authorization checks before serving password information through the web interface. This weakness enables attackers to bypass normal authentication procedures and directly retrieve stored credentials without requiring valid login credentials or administrative privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it exposes critical network security credentials that could be used to compromise the entire device and potentially the underlying network infrastructure. Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability from any location with network access to the affected devices, making it particularly dangerous in environments where physical security is not strictly enforced. The stolen passwords could provide attackers with administrative access to the device configuration, enabling them to modify network settings, install malicious software, or use the device as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the network. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates poor implementation of access control mechanisms.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which describes improper authorization issues in software systems, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for spearphishing with a malicious attachment or link. The exposure of administrative credentials through a direct web interface request represents a critical security failure that could enable attackers to establish persistent access to network infrastructure. Organizations using these devices should immediately implement network segmentation to isolate affected systems and ensure that only authorized personnel have access to the device management interfaces. The recommended mitigations include applying firmware updates from the vendor, implementing network access controls to restrict access to device management interfaces, and conducting thorough security assessments of all network infrastructure components to identify similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts to device management interfaces and establish incident response procedures for handling credential exposure events.