CVE-2023-4412 in EX1200L
Summary
by MITRE • 08/18/2023
A vulnerability was found in TOTOLINK EX1200L EN_V9.3.5u.6146_B20201023 and classified as critical. This issue affects the function setWanCfg. The manipulation leads to os command injection. The attack may be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-237515. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/13/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-4412 represents a critical command injection flaw in TOTOLINK EX1200L EN_V9.3.5u.6146_B20201023 firmware, specifically within the setWanCfg function. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-77 category of Command Injection, which occurs when an application executes operating system commands based on user-supplied input without proper sanitization or validation. The affected device operates as a wireless router or access point, making it a prime target for network-level attacks. The vulnerability's critical severity classification stems from its remote exploitability and the potential for arbitrary code execution on the affected device.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of parameters passed to the setWanCfg function, which is part of the router's web administration interface. When an attacker sends specially crafted input to this function, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize the input before incorporating it into system commands. This allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary operating system commands that are then executed with the privileges of the web server process, typically running with elevated permissions on the device. The attack vector is remote, meaning no physical access or local network presence is required for exploitation, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in networked environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to the device itself. Successful exploitation can enable attackers to gain full control over the router, potentially allowing them to modify network configurations, redirect traffic through malicious servers, or establish persistent backdoors. Network administrators may lose visibility into their network traffic, and the compromised device can serve as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the local network. Additionally, the vulnerability's public disclosure through VDB-237515 means that threat actors have access to detailed exploitation techniques, increasing the likelihood of widespread compromise across affected devices. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, where adversaries execute commands on compromised systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-4412 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from TOTOLINK, although the vendor's lack of response to early disclosure attempts creates uncertainty about official patches. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the affected device's administrative interfaces, particularly limiting access to trusted networks only. Regular network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to detect unusual traffic patterns or command execution attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control measures to prevent unauthorized devices from connecting to the network and conducting periodic vulnerability assessments to identify similar issues in other network equipment. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and the principle of least privilege in network device security, aligning with security frameworks that emphasize defense in depth and the need for secure coding practices in embedded systems.