CVE-2022-45552 in ZBT WE1626
Summary
by MITRE • 03/03/2023
An Insecure Permissions vulnerability in Shenzhen Zhiboton Electronics ZBT WE1626 Router v 21.06.18 allows attackers to obtain sensitive information via SPI bus interface connected to pinout of the NAND flash memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/31/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2022-45552 represents a critical insecure permissions flaw in the Shenzhen Zhiboton Electronics ZBT WE1626 router firmware version 21.06.18. This issue stems from improper access controls on the Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) bus that connects to the NAND flash memory component. The router's firmware fails to properly restrict access to the SPI interface, creating an avenue for unauthorized entities to extract sensitive data from the device's storage medium. The vulnerability specifically affects the physical layer communication interface that serves as a bridge between the router's microcontroller and its persistent storage, enabling attackers to directly interface with the flash memory through exposed SPI pins.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves leveraging the exposed SPI bus interface to read the contents of the NAND flash memory without proper authentication or authorization. This allows attackers to access firmware binaries, configuration files, cryptographic keys, and other sensitive information stored within the router's memory. The flaw essentially provides a direct path to retrieve the device's complete firmware image, which may contain hardcoded credentials, encryption keys, or other confidential data that could be used for further attacks. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-276, which addresses improper permissions and access control mechanisms, and represents a classic example of insufficient privilege checks in embedded systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables attackers to potentially extract the complete router firmware and analyze its internal structure for additional vulnerabilities. Once an attacker gains access to the firmware image, they can perform reverse engineering to identify other weaknesses in the router's implementation, including potential backdoors, weak cryptographic implementations, or additional unpatched vulnerabilities. The exposure of the SPI interface creates a persistent threat vector that remains active regardless of network-based security measures, as the vulnerability exists at the physical hardware level. This type of attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1547.001, which covers registry run keys and startup folder, as it involves accessing system-level components through physical interfaces rather than network-based exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require both immediate hardware-level protections and firmware updates to properly secure the SPI bus interface. Network administrators should implement physical security measures to prevent unauthorized access to router hardware, particularly in environments where the devices are exposed to potential tampering. Firmware vendors must ensure that SPI interfaces are properly secured through hardware-level protections or firmware-level access controls that prevent unauthorized read operations. The recommended approach includes implementing proper pin configurations that disable unnecessary SPI access, applying firmware updates that properly restrict SPI interface permissions, and establishing secure boot mechanisms that validate firmware integrity. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring to detect potential unauthorized access attempts to network devices, as this vulnerability can serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks targeting the broader network infrastructure.