CVE-2016-4854 in LG L-04D
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in L-04D firmware version V10a and V10b allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators to perform arbitrary operations via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2020
The CVE-2016-4854 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the L-04D firmware versions V10a and V10b, exposing network administrators to significant security risks. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the authentication mechanisms of the affected device, creating a pathway for remote attackers to exploit administrative privileges without proper authorization. The flaw stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token implementation within the web interface of the network device, allowing malicious actors to craft forged requests that appear legitimate to the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic CSRF attack pattern where an attacker can manipulate authenticated sessions to execute unauthorized administrative commands. The vulnerability exists because the affected firmware fails to properly validate the referer header or implement robust anti-CSRF tokens that would verify the legitimacy of incoming requests. This allows attackers to leverage social engineering techniques or malicious websites to trick administrators into performing actions on the vulnerable device without their knowledge or consent. The impact extends beyond simple data manipulation to potentially full administrative control over the network device, including configuration changes, firmware updates, or access to sensitive network information.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability creates a severe risk for organizations relying on the L-04D device for network security or management functions. The remote exploitation capability means attackers can target administrators from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access or local network presence. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that multiple attack scenarios may be possible, including phishing campaigns, compromised websites, or even automated attack tools that can exploit the vulnerability. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and undermines the integrity of the authentication system, potentially leading to complete network compromise if the device serves as a gateway or management point.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including firmware updates to the latest available versions that address the CSRF implementation flaws, network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, and strict firewall rules restricting access to the device's web management interface. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and represents a critical weakness in the device's web application security model. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for phishing techniques, as attackers can leverage compromised administrator sessions to maintain persistence and execute further attacks. Additional defensive measures include implementing web application firewalls, enabling multi-factor authentication, and conducting regular security assessments of network infrastructure to identify similar vulnerabilities in other devices. The incident highlights the importance of proper input validation and session management in embedded network devices, particularly those with web-based administrative interfaces that are frequently targeted by cybercriminals.