CVE-2018-14783 in NWL-25
Summary
by MITRE
NetComm Wireless G LTE Light Industrial M2M Router (NWL-25) with firmware 2.0.29.11 and prior. A cross-site request forgery condition can occur, allowing an attacker to change passwords of the device remotely.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2020
The CVE-2018-14783 vulnerability affects the NetComm Wireless G LTE Light Industrial M2M Router model NWL-25 running firmware versions 2.0.29.11 and earlier. This device operates within industrial IoT environments where remote management capabilities are essential for maintaining operational continuity. The vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of cross-site request forgery tokens within the router's web interface, creating a significant security gap that enables unauthorized remote password changes. The affected device is commonly deployed in industrial settings where network reliability and security are paramount for maintaining operational integrity and preventing unauthorized access to critical infrastructure components.
The technical flaw manifests as a lack of proper CSRF protection mechanisms within the router's authentication and configuration interfaces. When legitimate users interact with the device's web management portal, the system fails to validate that requests originate from authorized sources within the same session context. This allows an attacker to craft malicious requests that appear legitimate to the router's authentication system, enabling them to modify administrative credentials without proper authorization. The vulnerability specifically targets the password change functionality, which represents a critical attack surface given that administrative credentials provide full control over the device's configuration and network access policies.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential compromise, as it fundamentally undermines the security posture of industrial IoT deployments that rely on these devices for network connectivity and remote management. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability can gain persistent access to the router, potentially enabling further attacks such as network reconnaissance, lateral movement within the industrial network, or even disruption of critical communications. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this weakness from anywhere on the internet, making it particularly dangerous for industrial environments where physical security controls may be limited. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery issues in web applications and systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-14783 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from NetComm Wireless to address the CSRF implementation flaw. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to isolate these industrial devices from general network access, deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for anomalous authentication patterns, and establish robust network access controls using firewalls to restrict access to the device's management interfaces. Additional defensive measures include implementing strong authentication mechanisms such as two-factor authentication, regularly monitoring device logs for unauthorized configuration changes, and establishing network monitoring protocols to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and session management in embedded systems, particularly those operating in industrial environments where security failures can have cascading effects on operational technology networks. This weakness also highlights the need for adherence to security best practices outlined in frameworks such as NIST SP 800-82 for industrial control systems security and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through unauthorized access to administrative interfaces. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control policies that restrict which systems can communicate with these industrial devices and establish regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other networked industrial equipment.