CVE-2017-14244 in Baton ADSL2+ Home Router
Summary
by MITRE
An authentication bypass vulnerability on iBall Baton ADSL2+ Home Router FW_iB-LR7011A_1.0.2 devices potentially allows attackers to directly access administrative router settings by crafting URLs with a .cgi extension, as demonstrated by /info.cgi and /password.cgi.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14244 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw affecting iBall Baton ADSL2+ Home Router devices running firmware version FW_iB-LR7011A_1.0.2. This vulnerability resides in the router's web interface implementation where proper access controls fail to validate user authentication status before granting access to administrative functions. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the router's web server component, allowing unauthorized users to bypass the standard authentication process through direct URL manipulation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of Uniform Resource Identifiers that target specific CGI scripts within the router's web interface. Attackers can construct malicious URLs such as /info.cgi and /password.cgi to directly access administrative functions without providing valid credentials. This bypass mechanism operates at the application layer and demonstrates a classic lack of proper authorization checks, which falls under CWE-285 - Improper Authorization. The vulnerability allows access to sensitive administrative functions that should only be available to authenticated administrators, creating a significant security risk for the device and the network it protects.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential complete network compromise. Once an attacker gains access to the administrative interface, they can modify router configuration settings, change network parameters, implement malicious configurations, and potentially establish backdoors for persistent access. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1021 - Remote Services, as it enables attackers to gain remote administrative control over the device. The compromised router can then serve as a pivot point for attacking other devices within the local network or be used to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks on network traffic.
Network security implications are particularly severe given that many home routers serve as the primary gateway between internal networks and external internet access. This vulnerability effectively allows attackers to assume complete administrative control of the router, potentially enabling them to redirect traffic, implement DNS hijacking, or disable security features. The attack surface is further expanded because the vulnerability can be exploited remotely without requiring physical access to the device, making it particularly dangerous for users who may not regularly update their router firmware. Organizations and individuals should immediately implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts, while also ensuring firmware updates are applied promptly to address this vulnerability.
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the router's web application code failing to properly implement authentication verification for CGI scripts. This represents a fundamental flaw in the software development lifecycle where security controls were not adequately integrated into the application's access control mechanisms. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing proper input validation and access control checks. Organizations should consider implementing network access control lists to restrict access to router administrative interfaces and deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious URL access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments of network infrastructure components are essential to identify and remediate similar authentication bypass vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors.