CVE-2004-0347 in SA 5000
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in delhomepage.cgi in NetScreen-SA 5000 Series running firmware 3.3 Patch 1 (build 4797) allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary script as other users via the row parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0347 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the NetScreen-SA 5000 Series firewall appliances running firmware version 3.3 Patch 1 with build number 4797. This security weakness specifically affects the delhomepage.cgi web interface component that manages user homepages within the firewall management console. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and demonstrates a classic XSS attack vector that enables malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of other users' browser sessions. The flaw is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access to the web interface, making it exploitable by users who have legitimate administrative credentials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the delhomepage.cgi script. When the application processes the row parameter through the web interface, it fails to properly encode or escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamically generated HTML content. This omission creates an environment where malicious payloads can be injected and subsequently executed when other authenticated users view the affected webpage. The vulnerability specifically affects the row parameter which is used to manage and display homepage configurations, allowing attackers to craft malicious input that gets rendered as part of the web page without proper security filtering. This flaw aligns with CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as the injection of malicious code into web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive administrative credentials, and potentially escalate privileges within the network security infrastructure. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute scripts in the context of other authenticated users, potentially gaining access to the complete firewall management interface and all associated administrative capabilities. This could lead to unauthorized network configuration changes, complete compromise of the firewall's security policies, and unauthorized access to protected network resources. The attack vector requires only authenticated access to the web interface, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrative credentials might be compromised through social engineering or other means.
The exploitation of this vulnerability follows standard XSS attack patterns where an attacker crafts malicious input containing JavaScript code within the row parameter of the delhomepage.cgi script. When the vulnerable application processes this input and displays it to other users, the embedded script executes in their browser context. This creates a persistent threat where the malicious code can perform actions such as stealing cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or modifying web page content. The vulnerability demonstrates a clear violation of secure coding practices and represents a failure in the principle of least privilege as it allows authenticated users to potentially harm other legitimate users within the same system. Organizations should consider implementing input validation and output encoding as primary defenses against such attacks, while also adhering to security guidelines that emphasize the importance of proper data sanitization in web applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate firmware updates from the vendor to address the identified XSS flaw, along with network segmentation to limit access to the firewall management interface. Implementing proper input validation and output encoding within the web application code would prevent the injection of malicious scripts. Security measures should also include monitoring for unusual activity patterns in the firewall management interface, implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and establishing strict access controls to limit administrative privileges. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security assessments and the need for robust input validation mechanisms as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security standards and ATT&CK framework category TA0001 for initial access through web application attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative access and regular security training for personnel with firewall management responsibilities.