CVE-2017-12703 in MRD-305-DIN
Summary
by MITRE
A Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) issue was discovered in Westermo MRD-305-DIN versions older than 1.7.5.0, and MRD-315, MRD-355, MRD-455 versions older than 1.7.5.0. The application does not verify whether a request was intentionally provided by the user, making it possible for an attacker to trick a user into making a malicious request to the server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/09/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12703 represents a critical cross-site request forgery weakness affecting several Westermo industrial networking devices including the MRD-305-DIN, MRD-315, MRD-355, and MRD-455 models. This flaw exists in firmware versions prior to 1.7.5.0 and demonstrates a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture to validate the authenticity of user-initiated requests. The vulnerability stems from the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms within the web interface of these industrial devices, creating an exploitable condition that allows attackers to manipulate the behavior of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the lack of anti-CSRF tokens or other validation mechanisms in the web application layer of these industrial routers and switches. When a user authenticates to the device's web management interface, the application fails to verify that subsequent requests originate from the legitimate user rather than from an attacker who has crafted malicious requests. This weakness enables attackers to construct specially crafted web pages or exploit payloads that, when visited by an authenticated user, automatically submit requests to the vulnerable device. The attack typically involves tricking users into clicking on malicious links or visiting compromised websites while maintaining an active session with the target device.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond traditional web application security concerns due to the industrial nature of these devices. These MRD series routers and switches are commonly deployed in critical infrastructure environments where unauthorized access could lead to significant operational disruptions, data compromise, or even physical security risks. An attacker exploiting this CSRF vulnerability could potentially modify network configurations, alter security settings, disable protective mechanisms, or redirect network traffic without the knowledge of legitimate administrators. The attack vector is particularly concerning in industrial control systems where device integrity and network security are paramount for operational continuity and safety.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. The vulnerability also aligns with several ATT&CK tactics including TA0001 Initial Access through the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities, and TA0003 Persistence by potentially allowing attackers to maintain long-term access to industrial networks. The lack of proper input validation and request verification mechanisms represents a failure in the principle of least privilege and demonstrates inadequate security controls in the device's authentication and authorization processes.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates to versions 1.7.5.0 or later, which contain the necessary CSRF protection mechanisms. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to these devices to authorized personnel only, deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious network activity, and conduct regular security assessments of industrial control systems. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing multi-factor authentication where possible, disable unnecessary web management interfaces, and establish strict access control policies for all industrial network devices. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining current firmware versions in industrial environments where security is often overlooked in favor of operational continuity.