CVE-2017-15291 in TL-MR3220
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Wireless MAC Filtering page in TP-LINK TL-MR3220 wireless routers allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the Description field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/23/2024
The CVE-2017-15291 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in TP-LINK TL-MR3220 wireless routers, specifically within the Wireless MAC Filtering configuration page. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly process user-supplied data in the Description field. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of a victim's browser session, effectively compromising the router's administrative interface security. The vulnerability exists due to the router's failure to implement proper output encoding or filtering when rendering user-provided content, creating an exploitable vector for persistent cross-site scripting attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting as a code injection flaw where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without adequate validation or sanitization. The flaw manifests when an attacker submits malicious script code through the Description field of the MAC filtering configuration, which is then rendered in the web interface without proper HTML escaping or context-appropriate encoding. This creates a persistent threat where any user with access to the router's administrative interface could be exposed to the malicious payload, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the compromised system. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access or local network presence to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise and home network environments.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-15291 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks within the network infrastructure. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially establish persistent access to the router's administrative interface, modify network configurations, redirect traffic, or use the compromised device as a pivot point for attacking other networked systems. The vulnerability also presents a risk for credential exposure, as any session tokens or authentication information displayed in the affected interface could be captured by the malicious script. From an attacker's perspective, this flaw maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script injection, and T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage, as the attacker could leverage the compromised interface to execute further malicious activities within the network environment. The vulnerability's presence in a consumer-grade router like the TL-MR3220 also raises concerns about the broader ecosystem of IoT devices that may share similar security shortcomings.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should encompass both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening approaches. The most effective immediate solution involves applying the vendor-provided firmware update that addresses the input validation weakness in the MAC filtering page. Network administrators should also implement additional security controls such as restricting administrative access to the router through firewall rules, requiring multi-factor authentication, and regularly auditing the router's configuration settings. The vulnerability highlights the importance of implementing proper input validation and output encoding practices throughout the application lifecycle, aligning with security standards such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of network infrastructure, including vulnerability scanning and penetration testing, are essential to identify and remediate similar flaws across the entire network ecosystem.