=====[Tempest Security Intelligence - Security Advisory - CVE-2023-38946]======= Access Control Bypass in Multilaser router's Web Management Interface Author: Vinicius Moraes < vinicius.moraes.w () gmail com > =====[Table of Contents]======================================================== 1. Overview 2. Detailed description 3. Other contexts & solutions 4. Acknowledgements 5. Timeline 6. References =====[1. Overview]============================================================== * Systems affected: Multilaser RE160 web interface - V5.07.51_pt_MTL01(verified) - V5.07.52_pt_MTL01(verified) (other routers/versions may be affected) * Release date: 28/02/2024 * CVSS score: 7.7 / High * CVSS vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N * Impact: This vulnerability allows attackers to bypass the access control of the router's web interface and perform management actions, such as changing the DNS settings, enabling router remote access, changing the IP routing table, and retrieving the WiFi and management application passwords. A noteworthy aspect also regards the fact that the attack can be conducted remotely. =====[2. Detailed description]================================================== The affected Multilaser router has a web management interface designed to graphically assist users in configuring features and diagnosing problems. However, there is a bug in its access control mechanism that allows unauthenticated users to access the router's management features. In order to exploit this bug, it is necessary to add an "admin:" cookie in the requests. The following example shows how an unauthenticated user (not bearing a credential or session token) could perform it by using the curl tool[1] to retrieve, for example, a backup of the router config, which contains its web interface password: [snippet] $ # traditional unauthenticated request being redirected to the login page $ curl -is [routerIpAddress]/cgi-bin/DownloadCfg/C.cfg | grep -E 'HTTP/|Locatio' HTTP/1.0 302 Redirect Location: http://[routerIpAddress]/login.asp $ $ # malicious unauthenticated request getting the web interface password $ # (in this example: "pass123") $ curl -isH 'Cookie: admin:' [routerIpAddress]/cgi-bin/DownloadCfg/C.cfg | grep -E 'HTTP/|http_passwd' HTTP/1.0 200 OK http_passwd=pass123 [/snippet] By performing the aforementioned steps, an attacker gains access to all features of the web interface, either by exploiting the issue in other endpoints or by using the interface password, contained in the router config, as a traditional user. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely via a malicious mobile/desktop application performing HTTP requests against the router, or locally by connecting to a vulnerable router (such as through the wireless infrastructure of a coffee shop or airport). =====[3. Other contexts & solutions]============================================ Conceptually, in order to fix this issue, the server receiving the request must always validate the value of the cookie as a prerequisite for enforcing access control. Besides that, this value cannot be predictable. Upon not receiving a valid session token within the request, users should be redirected to the login page. Practically, updating to the latest firmware (V5.07.52_pt_MTL01) will reduce the attack window for this vulnerability, limiting the exploitation to only work when there is an active user session on the router. However, this equipment is also affected by another vulnerability with the same impact and no attack window limitation[3]. Furthermore, Multilaser informed that they contacted the firmware vendor of the model RE160, but due to the age of the equipment and its limitations, it will not receive an update. Therefore, it is recommended to replace the RE160 router with a new one that is receiving updates (such as RE160V or RE163V)[4][5]. =====[4. Acknowledgements]====================================================== Joaquim Brasil de Oliveira < palulabrasil () gmail com > < twitter.com/palulabr > Tempest Security Intelligence[2] =====[5. Timeline]============================================================== 28/04/2023 - The bug regarding model RE160 was reported to vendor; 29/06/2023 - A new contact was made with the company; 29/06/2023 - Vendor sent the available latest firmware for RE160; 07/07/2023 - It was confirmed that the latest firmware was still vulnerable; 26/10/2023 - Vendor informed that RE160 will not receive a full fix. =====[6. References]============================================================ [1] https://curl.se [2] https://tempest.com.br [3] https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-38945 [4] https://suporte.multilaser.com.br/produtos/rot-300mbps-ipv6-2-4-ghz-2-ant-re160v [5] https://suporte.multilaser.com.br/produtos/rot-300mbps-ipv6-2-4-ghz-3-ant-re163v