CVE-2017-12593 in DSL-N10S
Summary
by MITRE
ASUS DSL-N10S V2.1.16_APAC devices allow CSRF.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/08/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12593 affects ASUS DSL-N10S V2.1.16_APAC wireless routers, representing a cross-site request forgery flaw that compromises the device's security integrity. This issue stems from the router's insufficient validation of incoming requests, allowing malicious actors to execute unauthorized administrative actions through crafted web requests. The vulnerability specifically impacts the device's web-based management interface, where proper authentication and authorization mechanisms fail to adequately verify the origin and legitimacy of requests.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability occurs within the router's web server component that handles administrative functions. When users access the router's configuration interface, the device does not properly validate whether requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions or from external malicious sources. This lack of request validation enables attackers to craft specially formatted requests that, when executed by an authenticated user, can modify router settings, change administrator passwords, or alter network configurations without the user's knowledge or consent. The flaw resides in the absence of anti-CSRF tokens or similar protective mechanisms within the web interface's request handling process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes, potentially allowing attackers to establish persistent network access points or completely compromise the device's security posture. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to redirect traffic, disable security features, or create backdoor access that persists across reboots. The attack surface becomes particularly concerning when considering that many users may not regularly monitor their router configurations or may be unaware of unauthorized changes. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and demonstrates how inadequate session management and request validation can create persistent security weaknesses in network infrastructure devices.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from ASUS, as the issue fundamentally stems from the device's software implementation rather than user configuration. Network administrators should also implement additional protective measures such as restricting administrative access to the router's web interface, utilizing firewalls to block external access to management ports, and ensuring that users authenticate through secure channels only. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1072, which covers Application Deployment Software, highlights the importance of maintaining updated network infrastructure components. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation strategies that limit the scope of potential compromise, as this vulnerability could enable attackers to pivot from the compromised router to other network segments. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should specifically target network infrastructure devices to identify similar CSRF vulnerabilities across the entire network ecosystem.