CVE-2020-6954 in SMP-PRO4
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered on Cayin SMP-PRO4 devices. A user can discover a saved password by viewing the URL after a Connection String Test. This password is shown in the webpass parameter of a media_folder.cgi?apply_mode=ping_server URI.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-6954 affects Cayin SMP-PRO4 digital signage devices, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that exposes sensitive authentication credentials. This weakness resides within the device's web interface implementation where a seemingly benign connection testing function inadvertently reveals stored administrative passwords. The vulnerability manifests when users perform a Connection String Test operation, which triggers a web request that includes the password in cleartext within the URL parameter. This design flaw directly violates fundamental security principles of credential handling and demonstrates poor input validation and output encoding practices.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a specific URI pattern involving the media_folder.cgi script with the apply_mode=ping_server parameter. When the connection test is executed, the system returns a response containing the webpass parameter in the URL, effectively leaking the saved password to any observer monitoring network traffic or accessing the device's interface. This represents a classic case of insecure direct object reference vulnerability where sensitive data is exposed through predictable URL structures without proper authentication checks. The flaw falls under CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) categories, demonstrating how improper data handling in web applications can lead to credential exposure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with direct access to administrative credentials for the digital signage device. Once obtained, these credentials enable full control over the device configuration, content management, and potentially the entire network segment where the device resides. Attackers can leverage this access to modify displayed content, disrupt services, install malicious software, or use the device as a pivot point for further network exploration. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on digital signage for critical communications, as it could enable attackers to display malicious content or cause service disruptions. The issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1566 (Phishing) as attackers could use the compromised credentials to establish persistent access and potentially expand their attack surface.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-6954 should focus on immediate patching of affected devices through official firmware updates provided by Cayin. Organizations must also implement network monitoring to detect and block suspicious URL patterns containing credential parameters. The device configuration should be reviewed to disable unnecessary testing functions or restrict access to administrative interfaces through network segmentation. Additionally, implementing proper URL parameter validation and ensuring that sensitive data is never exposed in cleartext within URI parameters would prevent similar vulnerabilities. Security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments of digital signage infrastructure and establish monitoring procedures for detecting unauthorized access attempts or unusual network traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation of such credential disclosure vulnerabilities.