CVE-2017-2235 in Home Gateway HEM-GW16A
Summary
by MITRE
Toshiba Home gateway HEM-GW16A firmware HEM-GW16A-FW-V1.2.0 and earlier. Toshiba Home gateway HEM-GW26A firmware HEM-GW26A-FW-V1.2.0 and earlier allows an attacker to bypass access restriction to change the administrator account password via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2235 affects Toshiba Home gateway devices including the HEM-GW16A and HEM-GW26A models running firmware versions up to and including V1.2.0. This represents a critical security flaw in network infrastructure equipment that serves as a gateway between home networks and the internet. The affected devices are commonly deployed in residential and small office environments where they provide essential connectivity services while also acting as security boundaries for local networks.
The technical flaw manifests as an insufficient access control mechanism that allows unauthorized attackers to bypass authentication requirements necessary for administrative functions. While the specific attack vectors remain unspecified in the CVE description, this type of vulnerability typically involves weaknesses in authentication protocols, session management, or privilege escalation mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically permits modification of administrator account passwords without proper authorization, which fundamentally compromises the device's security posture and provides attackers with persistent administrative access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables attackers to gain full administrative control over the affected gateway devices. Once compromised, attackers can modify network configurations, redirect traffic, implement man-in-the-middle attacks, monitor network communications, and potentially use the device as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the local network. The vulnerability affects the core security model of the device, making it impossible for legitimate administrators to maintain control over their network infrastructure. This type of flaw directly violates the principle of least privilege and undermines the fundamental security assumptions of network boundary devices.
Organizations and individuals should immediately implement mitigations including firmware updates from Toshiba if available, network segmentation to isolate affected devices, and monitoring for suspicious network activity. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control issues, and represents a clear violation of the principle of authentication and authorization. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation and credential access tactics, potentially enabling adversaries to establish persistent access and move laterally within networks. Network administrators should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized configuration changes and establish baseline network behavior for anomaly detection purposes.