Improper Authorization vulnerability in nerves-hub nerves_hub_web allows cross-organization device control via device bulk actions and device update API.
Missing authorization checks in the device bulk actions and device update API endpoints allow authenticated users to target devices belonging to other organizations and perform actions outside of their privilege level.
An attacker can select devices outside of their organization by manipulating device identifiers and perform management actions on them, such as moving them to products they control. This may allow attackers to interfere with firmware updates, access device functionality exposed by the platform, or disrupt device connectivity.
In environments where additional features such as remote console access are enabled, this could lead to full compromise of affected devices.
This issue affects nerves_hub_web: from 1.0.0 before 2.4.0.
Weakness
The product does not perform or incorrectly performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.
Potential Mitigations
- Divide the product into anonymous, normal, privileged, and administrative areas. Reduce the attack surface by carefully mapping roles with data and functionality. Use role-based access control (RBAC) to enforce the roles at the appropriate boundaries.
- Note that this approach may not protect against horizontal authorization, i.e., it will not protect a user from attacking others with the same role.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid.
- For example, consider using authorization frameworks such as the JAAS Authorization Framework [REF-233] and the OWASP ESAPI Access Control feature [REF-45].
- For web applications, make sure that the access control mechanism is enforced correctly at the server side on every page. Users should not be able to access any unauthorized functionality or information by simply requesting direct access to that page.
- One way to do this is to ensure that all pages containing sensitive information are not cached, and that all such pages restrict access to requests that are accompanied by an active and authenticated session token associated with a user who has the required permissions to access that page.
References