CVE-2024-28875 in WBR-6012
Summary
by MITRE • 10/30/2024
A security flaw involving hard-coded credentials in LevelOne WBR-6012's web services allows attackers to gain unauthorized access during the first 30 seconds post-boot. Other vulnerabilities can force a reboot, circumventing the initial time restriction for exploitation.The backdoor string can be found at address 0x80100910
80100910 40 6d 21 74 ds "@m!t2K1" 32 4b 31 00 It is referenced by the function located at 0x800b78b0 and is used as shown in the pseudocode below:
if ((SECOND_FROM_BOOT_TIME < 300) && (is_equal = strcmp(password,"@m!t2K1")) {
return 1;} Where 1 is the return value to admin-level access (0 being fail and 3 being user).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in LevelOne WBR-6012 wireless routers where hard-coded credentials are embedded in the device firmware at a fixed memory address. The backdoor password "@m!t2K1" is stored at address 0x80100910 and referenced by a function at 0x800b78b0, creating an unauthorized access mechanism that persists throughout the device's operational lifecycle. The vulnerability manifests as a time-based restriction that limits exploitation to the first 30 seconds after device boot, but this protection can be circumvented through forced reboots, effectively removing the temporal barrier. This design flaw aligns with CWE-259 Weak Password Management and CWE-798 Use of Hard-coded Credentials, both of which are fundamental security weaknesses that significantly compromise system integrity. The implementation of such a backdoor mechanism violates industry best practices for secure system design and represents a classic example of insecure coding practices that leave devices vulnerable to unauthorized access.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of embedded system architecture and memory management within the router's firmware. The pseudocode logic reveals that the system checks both the time elapsed since boot and the password comparison result, with a return value of 1 indicating administrative access level. This implementation pattern suggests that the developers intended to create a temporary backdoor for legitimate maintenance purposes but failed to properly secure or remove it from production code. The memory address 0x80100910 represents a clear indicator of the vulnerability's location within the firmware's binary structure, making it easily exploitable by attackers who can perform memory analysis or reverse engineering. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it exists in the core authentication mechanism of the device, providing attackers with persistent administrative access that can be maintained across multiple sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can be leveraged for extensive network compromise. Attackers who discover this backdoor can gain administrative control of the router within seconds of device startup, potentially enabling them to modify network configurations, intercept traffic, or establish persistent access points. The ability to circumvent the 30-second time restriction through forced reboots means that the vulnerability remains exploitable throughout the device's operational lifetime, making it a particularly concerning security weakness. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts, as it provides unauthorized access through legitimate administrative credentials, and T1566 Phishing, since the backdoor could be used to establish persistent access that might facilitate further social engineering attacks. The presence of such hard-coded credentials in network infrastructure devices represents a significant risk to enterprise security, as it can enable attackers to establish long-term access to critical network resources.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate exposure and the underlying design flaw. The most effective approach involves firmware updates from the vendor that remove or properly secure the hard-coded credentials, though this requires users to actively maintain their devices. Network administrators should implement continuous monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts and establish network segmentation to limit the potential impact of exploitation. Additional defensive measures include disabling unnecessary services, implementing strong network access controls, and conducting regular security assessments of network infrastructure devices. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure development practices and the need for comprehensive code reviews to identify and eliminate hard-coded credentials in embedded systems. Organizations should also consider implementing device integrity monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized modifications to firmware or memory structures. This type of vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of following security standards such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO/IEC 27001, which emphasize the need for secure system design and proper credential management in network infrastructure devices.