CVE-2017-12592 in DSL-N10S
Summary
by MITRE
ASUS DSL-N10S V2.1.16_APAC devices have a privilege escalation vulnerability. A normal user can escalate its privilege and perform administrative actions. There is no mapping of users with their privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/08/2019
The CVE-2017-12592 vulnerability affects ASUS DSL-N10S V2.1.16_APAC wireless routers, representing a critical privilege escalation flaw that undermines the device's access control mechanisms. This vulnerability stems from a fundamental design flaw in the router's authentication and authorization system where the device fails to properly enforce user privilege boundaries. The issue manifests as a complete breakdown in the principle of least privilege, allowing any authenticated user to gain administrative-level access to the device's management interfaces and perform operations typically restricted to privileged users. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it eliminates any form of user privilege mapping or role-based access control, creating a scenario where all users regardless of their intended access level can escalate their privileges to full administrative status.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the absence of proper session management and access control checks within the router's web interface and administrative APIs. When a user authenticates to the device, the system does not maintain or verify the user's assigned privileges throughout their session. This lack of privilege validation allows an attacker to manipulate administrative functions through direct API calls or by exploiting the absence of proper access controls in the user interface. The vulnerability exists at the application layer and affects the router's web-based management system, where administrative actions such as configuration changes, firmware updates, user management, and network settings modifications can be performed without proper authorization. This flaw is categorized under CWE-284, which specifically addresses improper access control issues, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves exploiting local privilege escalation vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for any organization or individual utilizing affected ASUS DSL-N10S devices. An attacker who gains initial access through any means can immediately escalate to administrative privileges, potentially leading to complete network compromise. The vulnerability allows for persistent backdoor access, enabling attackers to modify firewall rules, create new user accounts, install malicious firmware, and monitor network traffic. This privilege escalation capability transforms a simple user account into a full administrative access point, providing attackers with complete control over the device and potentially the entire network segment it serves. The impact extends beyond the immediate device as the router often serves as a central point for network access and security policy enforcement, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where network segmentation and access control are critical security measures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-12592 should focus on immediate device updates and network segmentation measures. The primary remediation involves applying the latest firmware updates from ASUS that address the privilege escalation vulnerability and implement proper access control mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized administrative access attempts and establish strict network segmentation policies to limit the potential damage from compromised devices. Additionally, administrators should disable unnecessary administrative interfaces, implement strong authentication mechanisms, and regularly audit user accounts and access permissions. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper privilege management and access control implementation, which should be considered during all network device deployments. Organizations should also implement network access control lists and firewall rules to restrict administrative access to only trusted network segments and IP addresses, reducing the attack surface and limiting the potential impact of such privilege escalation vulnerabilities.