CVE-2018-4070 in AirLink ES450
Summary
by MITRE
An exploitable Information Disclosure vulnerability exists in the ACEManager EmbeddedAceGet_Task.cgi functionality of Sierra Wireless AirLink ES450 FW 4.9.3. This binary does not have any restricted configuration settings, so once the MSCIID is discovered, any authenticated user can send configuration changes using the /cgi-bin/Embedded_Ace_Get_Task.cgi endpoint.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/12/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4070 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Sierra Wireless AirLink ES450 firmware version 4.9.3. This issue resides in the ACEManager EmbeddedAceGet_Task.cgi component, which serves as a configuration interface for the device's embedded systems management. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and authentication mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to exploit the system's configuration endpoints. The flaw manifests when an authenticated user with knowledge of the MSCIID parameter can manipulate the /cgi-bin/Embedded_Ace_Get_Task.cgi endpoint to access and potentially modify sensitive system configurations. This represents a significant security weakness that directly violates the principle of least privilege and proper access control enforcement. The vulnerability falls under CWE-284 which specifically addresses improper access control, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting through network reconnaissance.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the absence of proper authorization checks within the EmbeddedAceGet_Task.cgi binary. Once an attacker discovers or guesses the MSCIID value, they can leverage their authenticated session to send crafted requests to the vulnerable endpoint. This allows for arbitrary configuration changes that could compromise the device's operational integrity and security posture. The lack of restricted configuration settings means that legitimate authenticated users can perform actions that should be restricted to administrative privileges, effectively creating a backdoor for privilege escalation. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the device's security architecture where the same authentication mechanism used for normal operations also grants access to critical system configuration interfaces without additional authorization layers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to encompass complete system compromise potential. An attacker who gains access through this vulnerability can modify critical network settings, alter security configurations, and potentially redirect network traffic. The device's embedded nature means that such modifications can affect not just the local system but also the broader network infrastructure it manages. This vulnerability essentially provides an authenticated attacker with a pathway to manipulate the device's core operational parameters, potentially leading to man-in-the-middle attacks, network disruption, or unauthorized data access. The risk is amplified by the fact that the vulnerability does not require special privileges beyond authentication, making it accessible to any user who can establish an authenticated session.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-4070 should focus on implementing robust access controls and authentication mechanisms within the device's configuration interfaces. The most effective approach involves adding additional authorization checks to ensure that configuration changes require specific administrative privileges beyond standard authentication. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to these endpoints and regularly audit access logs for unauthorized configuration changes. Patch management protocols should be established to ensure timely updates to firmware versions that address this vulnerability. Additionally, monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect unusual patterns in configuration changes that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include disabling unnecessary configuration endpoints and implementing proper input validation to prevent malicious parameter manipulation. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control lists to restrict direct access to the EmbeddedAceGet_Task.cgi endpoint from unauthorized network segments. This vulnerability highlights the importance of principle of least privilege enforcement and proper authorization checking in embedded systems management interfaces.