Cyber Resilience

CVE-2018-6000

Access Control in Asuswrt ≤ 3.0.0.4.384_10007

Public PoCHigh EPSSAccess Control
Published
22 January 2018
Modified
21 November 2024
CVSS Score v3 9.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.85 99.7th percentile
Risk Priority 97 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2018-6000 is a critical-severity Missing Authorization (CWE-862) vulnerability in Asus Asuswrt. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, ranked in the top 0.3% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

An issue was discovered in AsusWRT before 3.0.0.4.384_10007. The do_vpnupload_post function in router/httpd/web.c in vpnupload.cgi provides functionality for setting NVRAM configuration values, which allows attackers to set the admin password and launch an SSH daemon (or enable infosvr command mode),…

more

and consequently obtain remote administrative access, via a crafted request. This is available to unauthenticated attackers in conjunction with CVE-2018-5999.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

Likely ATT&CK TechniquesAI

Techniques this vulnerability likely enables, inferred from its description, weakness type, and attributed-actor tradecraft. Confidence is per-technique.

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Accessconfidence: HIGH
Unauthenticated crafted request to vpnupload.cgi directly exploits the public-facing web interface to modify NVRAM and gain admin access.
T1133 External Remote Services Persistenceconfidence: HIGH
Attack enables SSH daemon or infosvr command mode, providing external remote administrative services.
T1078.001 Default Accounts Stealthconfidence: HIGH
Setting the admin password via NVRAM grants use of the default administrative account.
T1021.004 SSH Lateral Movementconfidence: MEDIUM
Enabled SSH daemon allows attackers to use SSH for remote interactive access.
inferred from description + CWE · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v19.0

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-31736Shared CWE-862
CVE-2024-9109Shared CWE-862
CVE-2023-37887Shared CWE-862
CVE-2025-47688Shared CWE-862
CVE-2024-1732Shared CWE-862
CVE-2024-54269Shared CWE-862
CVE-2023-38475Shared CWE-862
CVE-2025-31786Shared CWE-862
CVE-2025-31862Shared CWE-862
CVE-2025-28103Shared CWE-862

Affected Assets

asus
asuswrt
≤ 3.0.0.4.384_10007

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 5 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-862

Requiring an access control policy ensures authorization checks are defined and applied for critical functions.

addresses: CWE-862

Reviews of access controls detect missing authorization checks on critical functions or resources.

addresses: CWE-862

Documenting permitted unauthenticated actions prevents missing authorization by making all exceptions explicit and subject to organizational review.

addresses: CWE-862

Requiring attribute association with information prevents authorization from being performed without necessary security or privacy context.

addresses: CWE-862

Mandating authorization prior to allowing remote connections addresses missing authorization for remote access.

addresses: CWE-862

Mandating authorization before wireless connections are allowed prevents missing authorization for wireless access.

addresses: CWE-862

The control requires authorization before allowing mobile device connections, directly mitigating missing authorization for system access.

addresses: CWE-862

Requiring approvals for account creation and specifying authorizations ensures authorization is not missing for system access.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.AA-05 full match
prevents

Explicitly requires defining, enforcing, and reviewing authorizations and least privilege, directly preventing missing authorization checks.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

prevents

Requiring authentication and credentials before any access occurs eliminates the absence of authorization checks that would otherwise allow an unauthenticated actor to reach protected resources.

prevents

Requiring formal authorization of every access request before rights are granted ensures that checks for required permissions are performed, preventing missing authorization checks from being introduced.

prevents

Mandatory authorization checks and central records of granted rights ensure that every access attempt is preceded by an explicit decision rather than relying on missing checks.

mitigates

Segregating the approval of access rights from their implementation provides an independent check that reduces the impact of missing authorization checks in the resulting system configuration.

detects

By requiring competent outsiders to verify that every function enforces the need-to-know principle, the control lowers the likelihood that missing authorization checks persist undetected.

prevents

Defining authorization responsibilities and reviewing risk-treatment progress throughout the project lifecycle catches missing authorization checks before the system is deployed.

References