CVE-2018-16136 in IPBRICK
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in the administrator interface in IPBRICK OS 6.3. The application doesn't check for Anti-CSRF tokens, allowing the submission of multiple forms unwillingly by a victim.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-16136 represents a critical security flaw in the administrator interface of IPBRICK OS version 6.3, specifically exposing the system to Cross-Site Request Forgery attacks. This issue stems from the complete absence of Anti-CSRF token validation mechanisms within the web application's administrative components. The vulnerability exists at the application logic level where the system fails to implement proper session management controls that would typically validate the authenticity of user requests originating from legitimate administrative interfaces.
The technical implementation flaw manifests as a missing security control that should normally validate the presence of unique, unpredictable tokens generated for each user session and required for form submissions. Without these tokens, attackers can craft malicious web pages or exploit existing user sessions to submit administrative forms without the victim's knowledge or consent. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery as a security weakness that allows an attacker to perform actions on behalf of a user without their knowledge. The absence of CSRF protection in this administrative interface creates a significant attack surface where unauthorized modifications can occur.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, as it compromises the integrity and confidentiality of administrative operations within the IPBRICK OS environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially modify system configurations, create new administrative accounts, delete critical data, or execute privileged commands that would normally require legitimate administrative credentials. This flaw essentially provides a backdoor for attackers to perform unauthorized administrative actions, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive network infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it targets the administrative interface, which typically possesses the highest level of system privileges and access controls.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address the fundamental lack of CSRF protection in the administrative components. Organizations should immediately implement proper Anti-CSRF token mechanisms that generate unique, unpredictable tokens for each user session and validate these tokens upon form submission. The solution should follow established security frameworks such as the OWASP CSRF Prevention Cheat Sheet, which recommends implementing synchronized tokens or double submit cookies as effective countermeasures. Additionally, the system should enforce strict session management controls that validate the authenticity of all administrative requests. Security patches should be deployed to update the IPBRICK OS to versions that include proper CSRF protection mechanisms, while network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of administrative interfaces to trusted networks only. The remediation process should also include comprehensive security testing to verify that all administrative forms properly validate CSRF tokens and that session management controls are functioning correctly across all components of the system.