CVE-2018-21120 in WAC120
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by CSRF. This affects WAC120 before 2.1.7, WAC505 before 5.0.5.4, WAC510 before 5.0.5.4, WNAP320 before 3.7.11.4, WNAP210v2 before 3.7.11.4, WNDAP350 before 3.7.11.4, WNDAP360 before 3.7.11.4, WNDAP660 before 3.7.11.4, WNDAP620 before 2.1.7, WND930 before 2.1.5, and WN604 before 3.3.10.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2025
This cross-site request forgery vulnerability in NETGEAR wireless access points and controllers represents a significant security risk that allows authenticated attackers to perform unauthorized actions on affected devices. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of requests originating from web browsers, enabling malicious actors to trick authenticated users into executing unintended administrative commands without their knowledge or consent. The affected device models span multiple product lines including wireless access points and network controllers, with specific versions identified in the advisory. This CSRF flaw exists in the web-based management interfaces of these devices, where requests are processed without proper verification of the request source or authenticity. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects devices that typically operate in enterprise and residential network environments where administrative access is required for configuration changes and device management.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability allows attackers to craft malicious web pages or exploit existing network traffic to perform administrative operations on the affected devices. When a user with valid administrative credentials visits a malicious website or clicks on a crafted link, the browser automatically submits requests to the vulnerable device's management interface. These requests are processed without proper CSRF token validation or origin checking, enabling unauthorized configuration changes, firmware updates, or access control modifications. The flaw affects the authentication context where legitimate administrative sessions are trusted without additional verification mechanisms, making it possible for attackers to manipulate device settings through social engineering or by compromising user sessions. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery flaws in web applications and network device interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes to potentially compromise entire network infrastructures. An attacker could modify wireless network settings, change administrator credentials, disable security features, or even install malicious firmware updates through this vector. The affected devices typically serve as critical network components for wireless connectivity, making successful exploitation potentially devastating for network availability and security. Organizations relying on these devices for their network infrastructure could face unauthorized access to their wireless networks, leading to potential data breaches, network disruption, or serving as entry points for further attacks within the network environment. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that many of these devices are deployed in environments where physical access is limited, making remote exploitation particularly attractive to attackers.
Mitigation strategies for this CSRF vulnerability should focus on implementing proper request validation mechanisms and ensuring that administrative operations require additional authentication factors beyond simple session cookies. Device manufacturers should implement anti-CSRF tokens that are validated for each request, enforce strict origin checking for administrative interfaces, and ensure that all administrative operations require explicit user confirmation. Network administrators should apply the vendor-provided firmware updates immediately upon availability, as these patches typically address the CSRF validation issues by implementing proper request verification mechanisms. Additionally, network segmentation and access control measures can help limit the impact of successful exploitation by restricting access to administrative interfaces to trusted network segments only. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing robust web application security practices in network device management interfaces, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for social engineering attacks that leverage CSRF flaws. Organizations should also implement monitoring for unusual administrative activities that could indicate successful exploitation attempts, particularly around configuration changes that occur outside of normal maintenance windows.