CVE-2017-7641 in NAS Application Media Streaming Add-On
Summary
by MITRE
QNAP NAS application Media Streaming add-on version 421.1.0.2, 430.1.2.0, and earlier does not utilize CSRF protections.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7641 affects the QNAP NAS application Media Streaming add-on across multiple versions including 421.1.0.2 and 430.1.2.0 and earlier releases. This issue stems from the absence of Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection mechanisms within the affected software components. The Media Streaming add-on represents a critical functionality within QNAP's network-attached storage ecosystem, enabling users to stream media content across networked devices. The lack of CSRF safeguards creates a significant security gap that could be exploited by malicious actors to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users.
The technical flaw manifests as the complete absence of anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms in the web interface components of the Media Streaming add-on. This vulnerability falls under CWE-352 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. When users access the Media Streaming add-on interface, the application fails to implement proper request validation that would typically involve generating and verifying unique tokens for each user session. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious web pages or emails that, when visited by an authenticated user, automatically submit requests to the vulnerable Media Streaming add-on without the user's knowledge or consent. This allows for unauthorized modifications to streaming configurations, potential privilege escalation, or even complete system compromise depending on the permissions granted to the streaming service.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes, as it represents a fundamental security failure in a storage appliance that typically handles sensitive personal and business data. Network-attached storage devices often contain critical information including personal photos, videos, documents, and business records that could be compromised through unauthorized access. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform actions such as modifying streaming parameters, changing user accounts, or potentially gaining deeper access to the underlying NAS system. This threat is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where QNAP devices serve as central storage repositories for large volumes of data. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials use, as attackers could potentially leverage this CSRF weakness to establish persistent access to the NAS system through unauthorized configuration changes that maintain their access privileges.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest firmware updates from QNAP that address the CSRF protection gap. System administrators should also consider implementing additional network-level controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious requests targeting the Media Streaming add-on. The mitigation strategy should include network segmentation to limit access to the NAS system and ensure that only authorized personnel can reach the streaming interface. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of visiting untrusted websites or clicking on suspicious links that could trigger CSRF attacks against their storage systems. Regular security audits should be conducted to verify that all QNAP applications and add-ons maintain proper CSRF protection mechanisms. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing comprehensive security controls throughout all application components, particularly those that handle user authentication and session management, as even seemingly minor security oversights can create significant entry points for attackers.