CVE-2016-6158 in WS331a
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in Huawei WS331a routers with software before WS331a-10 V100R001C01B112 allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that (1) restore factory settings or (2) reboot the device via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2022
The CVE-2016-6158 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery issue affecting Huawei WS331a routers running firmware versions prior to WS331a-10 V100R001C01B112. This vulnerability resides within the web-based administration interface of these network devices, creating a significant security risk that can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring authentication credentials. The flaw stems from the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms in the router's web management portal, specifically when handling administrative functions that modify device configuration or state.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows attackers to craft malicious web pages or exploit vectors that, when visited by an authenticated administrator, will automatically submit requests to the vulnerable router's administration interface. These requests can perform two critical operations: restoring factory settings which resets all configuration parameters including administrator credentials, and rebooting the device which can disrupt network services and potentially create temporary network outages. The unspecified vectors indicate that the attack could be delivered through various methods including email attachments, compromised websites, or social engineering campaigns that trick administrators into visiting malicious links.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the affected routers. Successful exploitation can result in complete network compromise, as administrators may be unaware that their actions are being manipulated by malicious actors. The ability to restore factory settings essentially resets the device to its default state, potentially exposing the network to unauthorized access through default credentials that are often well-known and easily discoverable. The reboot functionality can be used for denial-of-service attacks against network services, creating disruptions that could affect business operations or critical network infrastructure.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which covers Valid Accounts - Default Accounts, as the exploitation can result in unauthorized access through default configurations. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the patched firmware version, implementing web application firewalls to detect and block CSRF attacks, and establishing network segmentation to limit the impact of successful exploitation. Additionally, administrative users should be educated about the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of verifying the legitimacy of administrative actions performed on network devices.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the importance of proper input validation and anti-CSRF token implementation in network device management interfaces. This issue demonstrates how seemingly minor security flaws in web-based administration portals can lead to complete system compromise, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing of network infrastructure components and adherence to security best practices in device development and deployment.