CVE-2016-4845 in HVL
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability on I-O DATA DEVICE HVL-A2.0, HVL-A3.0, HVL-A4.0, HVL-AT1.0S, HVL-AT2.0, HVL-AT3.0, HVL-AT4.0, HVL-AT2.0A, HVL-AT3.0A, and HVL-AT4.0A devices with firmware before 2.04 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of arbitrary users for requests that delete content.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2022
The CVE-2016-4845 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw affecting a range of network storage devices manufactured by I-O DATA DEVICE. These devices, including models HVL-A2.0, HVL-A3.0, HVL-A4.0, HVL-AT1.0S, HVL-AT2.0, HVL-AT3.0, HVL-AT4.0, HVL-AT2.0A, HVL-AT3.0A, and HVL-AT4.0A, are susceptible to exploitation due to insufficient CSRF protection mechanisms in their firmware versions prior to 2.04. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-352 category, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. The flaw exists in the authentication and authorization handling mechanisms of these network-attached storage devices, creating a significant security risk that allows malicious actors to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms within the device's web interface. When authenticated users interact with the device's management interface, the system fails to verify the authenticity of requests originating from external sources. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or exploit existing web content to submit requests that delete content on the affected devices. This occurs because the device's firmware does not properly validate the origin of requests, allowing remote attackers to leverage the trust relationship between the user's browser and the device. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous as it operates at the application layer, targeting the device's web-based administration interface rather than requiring physical access or more sophisticated attack vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data deletion, as it enables attackers to compromise the integrity and availability of stored data within these network storage devices. Remote attackers can exploit this flaw to permanently delete files, corrupt storage volumes, or potentially disrupt services provided by these devices. The vulnerability affects devices that are commonly deployed in enterprise environments, home networks, and small office settings where network storage solutions are critical for data management. Given that these devices often serve as central repositories for important information, the potential for data loss or service disruption is substantial. The attack surface is further expanded by the fact that these devices are typically accessible over the internet, making them prime targets for automated exploitation campaigns. This vulnerability directly impacts the CIA triad, specifically compromising data integrity and availability while potentially undermining confidentiality through unauthorized access to stored information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-4845 should focus on immediate firmware updates to version 2.04 or later, which contain the necessary CSRF protection mechanisms. Network administrators must ensure that all affected devices are updated promptly and that proper change management procedures are followed to prevent unauthorized modifications. Additional protective measures include implementing network segmentation to limit access to these devices, deploying web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious requests, and configuring proper access controls to restrict administrative access to trusted networks only. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and request origin verification, principles that align with the ATT&CK framework's defense evasion techniques. Organizations should also implement regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning to identify similar issues in other networked devices, as this vulnerability type is commonly found in embedded systems and network appliances. The incident underscores the critical need for manufacturers to implement robust security practices throughout the device lifecycle, including proper authentication mechanisms and regular security updates to address emerging threats.