Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-293

Allowed

Using Referer Field for Authentication

Abstraction: Variant · Status: Draft

API response cwe.mitre.org

The referer field in HTTP requests can be easily modified and, as such, is not a valid means of message integrity checking.

2 vulnerabilities reference this CWE, most recent first.

CVE-2023-20025 (GCVE-0-2023-20025)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2023-01-19 01:33 – Updated: 2025-03-12 16:18
VLAI
Summary
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV016, RV042, RV042G, and RV082 Routers could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of user input within incoming HTTP packets. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP request to the web-based management interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to bypass authentication and gain root access on the underlying operating system.
Severity
9 (Critical)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
SSVC
Exploitation: none Automatable: no Technical Impact: total
CISA Coordinator (v2.0.3)
CWE
  • CWE-293 - Using Referer Field for Authentication
Assigner
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version
Cisco Cisco Small Business RV Series Router Firmware Affected: 2.0.0.19-tm
Affected: 2.0.2.01-tm
Affected: 1.3.12.19-tm
Affected: 1.3.12.6-tm
Affected: 1.3.13.02-tm
Affected: 1.3.9.8-tm
Affected: 4.0.0.7
Affected: 4.0.2.08-tm
Affected: 4.0.3.03-tm
Affected: 4.0.4.02-tm
Affected: 4.2.1.02
Affected: 4.2.2.08
Affected: 4.2.3.03
Affected: 4.2.3.06
Affected: 4.2.3.07
Affected: 4.2.3.08
Affected: 4.2.3.09
Affected: 4.2.3.10
Affected: 4.2.3.14
Affected: 3.0.0.1-tm
Affected: 3.0.0.19-tm
Affected: 3.0.2.01-tm
Affected: 4.1.1.01
Affected: 4.1.0.02-tm
Create a notification for this product.
Show details on NVD website
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{
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        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2024-08-02T08:57:35.838Z",
          "orgId": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
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        },
        "references": [
          {
            "name": "cisco-sa-sbr042-multi-vuln-ej76Pke5",
            "tags": [
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-sbr042-multi-vuln-ej76Pke5"
          }
        ],
        "title": "CVE Program Container"
      },
      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2023-20025",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "none"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "no"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "total"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2024-10-28T16:19:30.025204Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
              },
              "type": "ssvc"
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          }
        ],
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2024-10-28T16:41:32.942Z",
          "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
          "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
        },
        "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
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    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "product": "Cisco Small Business RV Series Router Firmware",
          "vendor": "Cisco",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "2.0.0.19-tm"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "2.0.2.01-tm"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "1.3.12.19-tm"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "1.3.12.6-tm"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "1.3.13.02-tm"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "1.3.9.8-tm"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.0.0.7"
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            {
              "status": "affected",
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            },
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            },
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              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.0.4.02-tm"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.2.1.02"
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            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.2.2.08"
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            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.2.3.03"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
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            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.2.3.07"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.2.3.08"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.2.3.09"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.2.3.10"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.2.3.14"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
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            },
            {
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            },
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              "status": "affected",
              "version": "3.0.2.01-tm"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.1.1.01"
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              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.1.0.02-tm"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
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          "lang": "en",
          "value": "A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV016, RV042, RV042G, and RV082 Routers could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication on an affected device.\r\n\r This vulnerability is due to improper validation of user input within incoming HTTP packets. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP request to the web-based management interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to bypass authentication and gain root access on the underlying operating system."
        }
      ],
      "exploits": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "The Cisco Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) is aware that proof-of-concept exploit code is available for vulnerabilities CVE-2023-20025 and CVE-2023-20026 that are described in this advisory.\r\n\r\nIn March 2025, the Cisco PSIRT became aware of additional attempted exploitation of some of these vulnerabilities in the wild. Cisco continues to strongly recommend that customers upgrade their hardware to Meraki or Cisco 1000 Series Integrated Services Routers to remediate these vulnerabilities."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "attackComplexity": "HIGH",
            "attackVector": "NETWORK",
            "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
            "baseScore": 9,
            "baseSeverity": "CRITICAL",
            "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
            "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
            "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
            "scope": "CHANGED",
            "userInteraction": "NONE",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
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        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-293",
              "description": "Using Referer Field for Authentication",
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              "type": "cwe"
            }
          ]
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      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2025-03-12T16:18:58.629Z",
        "orgId": "d1c1063e-7a18-46af-9102-31f8928bc633",
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      },
      "references": [
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          "url": "https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-sbr042-multi-vuln-ej76Pke5"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
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        "defects": [
          "CSCwd47551"
        ],
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      }
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  },
  "cveMetadata": {
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    "datePublished": "2023-01-19T01:33:39.023Z",
    "dateReserved": "2022-10-27T18:47:50.309Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2025-03-12T16:18:58.629Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.1"
}

GHSA-Q4CW-H889-P6JJ

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2023-01-20 09:30 – Updated: 2023-02-01 03:30
VLAI
Details

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV042 Series Routers could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication on the affected device. This vulnerability is due to incorrect user input validation of incoming HTTP packets. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted requests to the web-based management interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain root privileges on the affected device.

Severity
9.8 (Critical)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Show details on source website
To clipboard 

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2023-20025"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-20",
      "CWE-290",
      "CWE-293"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2023-01-20T07:15:00Z",
    "severity": "CRITICAL"
  },
  "details": "A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV042 Series Routers could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication on the affected device. This vulnerability is due to incorrect user input validation of incoming HTTP packets. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted requests to the web-based management interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain root privileges on the affected device.",
  "id": "GHSA-q4cw-h889-p6jj",
  "modified": "2023-02-01T03:30:29Z",
  "published": "2023-01-20T09:30:31Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20025"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-sbr042-multi-vuln-ej76Pke5"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}
Mitigation
Architecture and Design

In order to usefully check if a given action is authorized, some means of strong authentication and method protection must be used. Use other means of authorization that cannot be simply spoofed. Possibilities include a username/password or certificate.

No CAPEC attack patterns related to this CWE.

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