CVE-2018-12666 in L-SERIES HD CAMERA
Summary
by MITRE
SV3C L-SERIES HD CAMERA V2.3.4.2103-S50-NTD-B20170508B devices improperly identifies users only by the authentication level sent in the cookies, which allow remote attackers to bypass authentication and gain administrator access by setting the authLevel cookie to 255.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-12666 affects SV3C L-SERIES HD CAMERA devices running firmware version 2.3.4.2103-S50-NTD-B20170508B and potentially other affected models. This represents a critical authentication bypass flaw that fundamentally undermines the security architecture of these networked video surveillance devices. The vulnerability stems from improper session management and authentication validation mechanisms implemented within the device's web interface, creating a pathway for unauthenticated attackers to escalate privileges and gain full administrative control over the camera systems.
The technical flaw manifests through the device's reliance on a single cookie value, specifically the authLevel cookie, to determine user authentication status and authorization level. This primitive authentication mechanism fails to implement proper cryptographic validation or session token verification, allowing attackers to manipulate the authLevel cookie value directly. When an attacker sets this cookie value to 255, which typically represents the highest administrative privilege level within the device's authentication schema, the system accepts this value without proper verification, effectively granting full administrative access. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a classic case of insecure authentication mechanisms that permit privilege escalation through cookie manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations deploying these surveillance cameras in critical infrastructure environments. Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability from any location with network access to the affected devices, eliminating the need for physical presence or local network access. Once authenticated as administrators, attackers can modify camera settings, adjust recording schedules, access live video feeds, download stored footage, disable security features, and potentially use the compromised devices as entry points for broader network attacks. The vulnerability particularly affects security-conscious environments where these cameras are used for perimeter monitoring, access control, or critical asset protection, as the compromise of a single device can provide unauthorized access to sensitive surveillance data and potentially enable further reconnaissance activities.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to protect their surveillance infrastructure. The primary recommendation involves firmware updates from the vendor to address the authentication bypass flaw, though this requires careful planning due to the potential for device downtime during the update process. Network segmentation should be implemented to isolate these devices from critical internal systems, and access controls should be enforced through firewalls to restrict access to the camera web interfaces. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network monitoring to detect anomalous cookie values or unauthorized administrative access attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper authentication design principles and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation, highlighting how weak authentication mechanisms can enable attackers to maintain persistent access to networked devices. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar authentication weaknesses in other networked devices within the organization's infrastructure.