CVE-2016-7810 in CG-WLR300NX
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in Corega CG-WLR300NX firmware Ver. 1.20 and earlier allows attacker with administrator rights to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2019
The CVE-2016-7810 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the Corega CG-WLR300NX wireless router firmware version 1.20 and earlier. This vulnerability specifically targets the administrative interface of the device, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this networking equipment. The flaw exists within the firmware implementation and affects users who have already gained administrative access to the device, making it particularly dangerous in environments where privilege escalation has occurred or where default credentials remain unchanged.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which classifies cross-site scripting as a code injection technique that allows attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of a victim's browser. The vulnerability occurs when the firmware fails to properly sanitize or validate user input that is subsequently reflected back to the browser without adequate encoding or escaping mechanisms. This allows an attacker with administrator privileges to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content that will execute in the browser of any user who accesses the affected administrative interface. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple input points within the administrative web interface could be exploited, including form fields, URL parameters, or configuration settings.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with persistent access to the device's administrative functions and potentially to the entire network segment. When an attacker with administrator rights injects malicious code, they can manipulate the router's configuration, redirect traffic, steal session cookies, or even establish persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. This creates a particularly dangerous scenario where the attacker can maintain access to the network even after the initial compromise, as the injected scripts will execute every time the administrative interface is accessed. The vulnerability essentially transforms the router into a potential command and control point for ongoing network infiltration activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-7810 should prioritize immediate firmware updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability, as this represents the most effective defense against exploitation. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential compromise, ensuring that administrative interfaces are not directly accessible from untrusted networks. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and regularly auditing administrative access logs can help detect unauthorized modifications to the router configuration. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices in embedded firmware development, particularly around input validation and output encoding, as specified in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines. Network administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious script injection patterns within their network traffic to detect potential exploitation attempts.