CVE-2018-10168 in EAP Controller
Summary
by MITRE
TP-Link EAP Controller and Omada Controller versions 2.5.4_Windows/2.6.0_Windows do not control privileges for usage of the Web API, allowing a low-privilege user to make any request as an Administrator. This is fixed in version 2.6.1_Windows.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10168 affects TP-Link EAP Controller and Omada Controller software versions 2.5.4_Windows and 2.6.0_Windows, representing a critical authorization flaw that undermines the security architecture of these network management platforms. This issue manifests as a privilege escalation vulnerability where unauthorized users can exploit weak access controls within the web application programming interface to gain administrative privileges. The flaw resides in the controller's insufficient validation of user permissions during API interactions, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute privileged operations without proper authentication or authorization. The vulnerability directly impacts organizations that rely on these controllers for wireless network management, potentially exposing their entire network infrastructure to compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and privilege checking mechanisms within the web API endpoints of the TP-Link controllers. When legitimate users make requests through the web interface or API, the system fails to properly verify whether the requesting user possesses sufficient privileges to perform the requested operation. This misconfiguration allows a low-privilege user to manipulate API requests in such a way that the system processes their requests with administrative privileges. The flaw typically occurs through parameter manipulation or header injection techniques where the authentication token or user role information is either not properly validated or is overridden during the request processing. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software applications, and represents a classic example of insufficient access control mechanisms that enable privilege escalation attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-10168 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with full administrative control over the affected network controllers. Once exploited, malicious actors can modify network configurations, create or delete user accounts, access sensitive network data, and potentially disrupt network services. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows attackers to remain undetected while performing administrative functions, as the system logs would show the actions as being performed by legitimate administrators. Organizations using these controllers may experience complete network compromise, with attackers able to establish persistent access points, modify firewall rules, and potentially use the compromised controller as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability directly maps to several tactics in the ATT&CK framework, including privilege escalation and persistence techniques that attackers commonly employ to maintain long-term access to target environments.
The remediation for this vulnerability requires immediate deployment of TP-Link's patched version 2.6.1_Windows, which implements proper privilege validation mechanisms for all web API endpoints. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their network infrastructure to identify any potential exploitation attempts that may have occurred prior to patching. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous API activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also implement additional access controls such as multi-factor authentication and regular privilege reviews to minimize the impact of similar vulnerabilities in the future. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation in network management systems and serves as a reminder of the potential consequences when authentication and authorization mechanisms fail to properly validate user privileges.